Tag: Godwin Emefiele

An EFCC investigator, Mr Alvan Gurumnaan, has told an Ikeja High Court that an aide received $17.1 million on behalf of former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele over a three-year period.

Emefiele is standing trial on a 19-count charge bordering on receiving gratification and corrupt demands.

Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Omoile, is facing a three-count charge bordering on unlawful acceptance of gifts by agents.

The duo are charged with fraud totaling $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.

Gurumnaan, an Assistant Commandant with the Economic and  Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said that he was assigned to head a special operations unit tasked with investigating both defendants.

He was led in evidence by the EFCC lead counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

The witness told the court that the anti-graft agency had earlier received several intelligence reports against Emefiele, even while he was in office.

He said the reports bordered on allegations of abuse of office, demanding and receiving gratification, procurement fraud, and living above his means.

The witness told the court that one of the former CBN governor’s close aides, Mr Monday Osazuwa, received a total of 17.1 million dollars from a businessman at an address in Victoria Island, Lagos, between September 2020 and June 2023.

“Osazuwa collected these sums in various tranches and delivered them to Emefiele at his Ikoyi residence,” he said.

Gurumnaan also stated that part of the money was handed to one Henry Omoile, on Emefiele’s instruction.

“The special operations team launched a far-reaching investigation, issuing multiple requests for documents and inviting key staff from several CBN departments.

“One name that surfaced repeatedly during the investigation was that of Eric Odoh, Emefiele’s former personal assistant.

“All efforts to bring Odoh in for questioning were unsuccessful as he had absconded and was traced to the United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries,” he said.

The investigator also said that EFCC wrote to agencies such as the Code of Conduct Bureau and Corporate Affairs Commission, seeking more information.

He said it was during the investigation that some staff members who worked directly under Emefiele either at the CBN’s headquarters or at the Lagos annex were questioned.

The witness said there were instances where Emefiele’s aide said he handed the money directly to Emefiele.

“The aide said Emefiele always confirms the receipt of the sums of money with the businessman in question over the phone after each transaction.

“The contact person was also invited for questioning and he confirmed giving Emefiele’s aide a total sum of $17.1 million.

“The team also examined the phone of the businessman, and some WhatsApp chats were revealed and printed at the EFCC Lagos office for use during the trial,” he said.

When the prosecution sought to tender the printed documents as exhibits,  counsel to Emefiele, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), did not object.

However, counsel to Emefiele’s co-defendant, Mr Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN), urged the court to allow him to tender his objections during the final written address.

The judge agreed and admitted the documents as exhibits. However, the defence counsel requested leave of court to conduct an independent forensic examination of the exhibits.

The defence submitted that it would be beneficial for them during cross-examination.

The court thereafter ordered them to file a formal application to that effect, to enable the prosecution to file an appropriate response.

The case was adjourned until to Oct. 7 for continuation of trial.

The Federal Government has announced plans to sell the 753 housing units recovered from former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, as proceeds of crime.

This development is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, by Salisu Haiba, Director Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

Haiba disclosed that the Ministry had taken delivery of the estate, consisting 753 units of duplexes recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from Emefiele

He said the houses would be sold to the public and for special government needs.

The Director said that the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Olanipekun Olukoyede, handed over the housing estate to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa .

According to the statement, Dangiwa commended the leadership of the EFCC, for the sustained efforts in the fight against corruption and the recovery of public assets.

He said the Ministry would conduct a joint familiarisation tour of the facility alongside EFCC team to properly assess its state.

“We intend to carry out thorough integrity and structural assessments on all buildings and associated infrastructure to confirm their safety and suitability for habitation.

“A comprehensive technical evaluation will be undertaken to determine the cost of completing all outstanding infrastructure and ancillary facilities.

“These include perimeter fencing, internal roads, drainage systems, a police post, shopping areas, recreational centres, and other essential amenities.

“The Ministry will offer the units for sale both to the public and for special government needs,” the Minister said

Dangiwa said that for the public sale component, the ministry would adopt a transparent and competitive process.

He added that this would include a nationwide advertisement and the use of the Renewed Hope Portal where interested Nigerians would submit their expressions of interest.

Also in the statement, Olukoyede said  the handing over of the forfeited property was a demonstration of the impact of the fight against financial crimes and corruption.

He emphasised on the need for accountability and transparency in managing forfeited assets.

The EFCC Chairman disclosed that President Bola Tinubu directed the handing over of the asset to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development for completion.

According to him, the estate on a parcel of land measuring 150,462.86 square meters is located at plot 109, cadastral zone, CO9, Lokogoma District, Abuja.

He assured that the Commission would monitor the project completion by the Ministry for periodic reports and feedback to the President.

Olukoyede thanked Tinubu for creating a conducive environment for the fight against corruption to thrive.

He also commended the judiciary for standing by the fight, ensuring that people do not get away with proceeds of crime.

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Wednesday dismissed the application filed by the embattled ex-Governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear his case.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 26-count charge against Emefiele, for alleged misuse of office, resulting in losses of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.

His co-defendant, Henry Omoile, is standing trial on related offences, including unlawful acceptance of gifts.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, in his ruling on Wednesday, held that the court had jurisdiction to try Emefiele on the charge, citing relevant authorities.

He, therefore, dismissed Emefiele’s application and held that EFCC had established a territorial jurisdiction on counts eight to 26, with various facts in the proof of evidence attached to the case file.

The court, however, struck out counts one to four of the charge which bothered on abuse of office.

He said that allocation of foreign exchange without bid, which was the subject of counts one to four was not punishable under the law.

Oshodi said: “Allocation of foreign exchange without reason is not defined as an offence in any written law.

“The objection to counts one to four succeeds and is hereby struck out. The objection challenging the court’s territorial jurisdiction over count eight to 26 fails, and is hereby dismissed. The prosecution has established sufficient territorial nexus in this case”.

The judge, thereafter, held that the case should proceed to trial and adjourned until Feb. 24 for continuation of trial.

Emefiele’s Counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), had on Dec. 12 2024,  argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case in Lagos. Ojo contended that the alleged offences, including abuse of office, fell outside the territorial reach of the court.

He said the charge violated Section 36(12) of the Constitution, and asserted that the actions Emefiele was accused of, were not legally recognised offences.

He stated that the Lagos State House of Assembly did not have legislative authority over matters on the Exclusive Legislative List.

Ojo, therefore, said Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, under which counts one to four were filed, could not apply extra-territorially to any alleged abuse of office by Emefiele.

The learned silk argued that a court’s territorial jurisdiction referred to the geographical area within which its authority could be exercised.

According to him, outside of that territorial jurisdiction, the court can not act.

He urged the court to strike out counts one to four of the 18 amended information filed on April 4, 2024, on the grounds that the offences occurred outside the court’s jurisdiction.

The EFCC Counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), in his counter affidavits, had argued  that the court had the authority to hear the case.

Oyedepo argued that the alleged offences were economic and financial in nature, therefore, within the jurisdiction of EFCC.

He also added that the evidence in support of the facts, proved Lagos as the appropriate venue for the trial.

Oyedepo further submitted that the subject matter of the charge fell squarely within the court’s jurisdiction, as the offences were committed within the court’s territorial reach.

He argued that the evidence and witness testimonies pointed to Lagos as the proper location for the trial.

He added that the objections raised by Emefiele’s legal team were not substantiated by facts or evidence.

The seventh prosecution witness, Mr John Adetola, in the ongoing trial of ex-governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, narrated how he collected the sum of $400,000 on behalf of the ex-governor.

Adetola, who was the former personal assistant to Emefiele, made the revelation on Thursday while giving evidence before an Ikeja Special Offences Court.

Emefiele is standing trial for alleged abuse of office and  $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud, while in office.

He is being prosecuted  by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside his co-defendant, Henry Omoile.

Omoile, on his part, is facing three-count charge bordering on unlawful acceptance of gifts by agents.

At the resumed hearing, Adetola, through his counsel, Mr  Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), told  the court that he managed office correspondences and visitors of the governor  in Lagos.

He said his duty gave him direct access to Emefiele.

Adetola said sometime in February 2023, he received an invite from EFCC and was interviewed on his relationship with Emefiele.

He said, “I made a voluntary statement at EFCC office.

“In 2018, Mr Eric Odoh, the personal assistant to the governor in Abuja, sent  a message to me that I should go and meet Mr John Ayoh, the former director of ICT department to collect $400,000  and give it to the governor.

“I went to Mr Ayoh’s house in Lekki and he gave me the envelope.

“I came back to the office and gave the envelope to the governor.”

Adetola further told the court that he informed EFCC about the money during his interrogation.

The witness, also confirmed that he communicated with Emefiele through telephone, email, office line and verbal communication whenever he was around.

He also confirmed to the court that he knew one George and Okanta who were Emefiele’s younger brothers and the governor’s wife, Margaret, by virtue of his relationship with his boss.

Adetola also confirmed to the court that Omoile (his co-defendant) lived in Emefiele’s house in Lagos.

The witness also identified bundles of documents which were official communication between him and the ex-governor.

He also identified documents showing his communication with Ayoh (former director of ICT department) and Odoh (personal assistant to the governor in Abuja).

The prosecution sought to tender the bundles of documents for identification purpose.

Emefiele’s counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN) did not object.

But Omoile’s counsel, Mr Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN), objected and argued that the documents had no basis in law.

According to Kotoye, a document not tendered as an exhibit, should not be tendered at all.

Oyedepo, in his response, argued  that the documents were relevant and would prove essential ingredients of the offences.

“The documents are for the purpose of identification,” he said.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, admitted the bundles of documents for identification purpose, after considering  the parties submissions.

Oshodi adjourned the case until Dec. 10 for cross-examination of the witness.