A prosecution witness has disclosed to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, how the past administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari sanctioned a hefty N2.9 billion cash payment for the observance of the 2023 general elections.
Onyeka Ogau, a former Branch Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), stated this while testifying as the first prosecution witness in the trial of former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, who faces charges of corruption and fraud allegedly perpetrated during his tenure.
Mr. Ogau detailed how he received the request for approval of the $6.23 million cash payment on January 8, 2023, highlighting the approvals of President Buhari, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, and Mr. Emefiele.
The witness, led in evidence by the EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Oyedepo Rotimi, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, clarified the memo’s contents, which specified payment to an SGF office staff member.
“My Lord, all requests for payments are usually channelled to the branch controller and that is my office. And on that day, my Lord, the request to my office was $6,230,000 and my attention was drawn towards it by my office assistant. It came from the banking services department and the memo carried the signature of the Director, Banking Services, with an instruction to the branch controller to pay the sum of $6,230,000 to a staff of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, bearing the name and identity card of the person,” Premium Times quotes him to have said.
With the amount translated to N2.9 billion at the exchange rate of N461 to a dollar in January 2023, Mr. Ogau’s testimony shed light on the alleged financial irregularities under Mr. Emefiele’s CBN tenure.
He outlined the process, noting approvals from high-ranking officials, including President Buhari and Mr. Mustapha, culminating in the cash disbursement on April 8, 2023.
The trial, marred by accusations of forgery and undue advantage, further delves into the alleged mismanagement of funds and fraudulent activities during Mr. Emefiele’s term as CBN governor, raising questions about the integrity of financial systems under his leadership.
