An Assistant Manager with Zenith Bank Plc, Mrs Ifeoma Ogbonnaya on Tuesday narrated to an Ikeja Special Offences Court how the embattled Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele used the banks to move multimillion naira to his wife.
The witness narrated before the court how she managed to the accounts of Emefiele’s companies accounts as a marketer in her bank.
Emefiele, is standing trial of alleged abuse of office and allocation of $4.5bn, N2.8bn, while he was the CBN governor.
The embattled former CBN governor is facing 26 counts alongside his co-defendant, Henry Isioma Omoile, before Justice Rahman Oshodi, preferred against them by the Economic and Financial crimes commission.
While being led in evidence in chief by the EFCC prosecution counsel Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the Zenith bank staffer, Ogbonna told the court that she never had any direct dealings with the ex-CBN governor but she was receiving instructions from his wife Mrs Margaret Emefiele to transfer cash flow from CBN into their private companies Zenith Bank account.
She said apart from Mrs Emefiele she also receives instructions from two other people Mr John Ogah and one Mr Opeyemi Oludimu, who works for the Emefiele but he is now late.
The witness also told the court how she received the instructions via her official email, and other time through phone calls or WhatsApp messages.
She told Justice Oshodi that the companies that received the cash flow from CBN, were Limelight multidimensional Ltd, Comec support services Ltd and Answim resources Ltd and Magofarm.
The witness testified that it was one Emmanuel that opened the accounts for Emefiele’s companies but that it was taken over by a new set of signatories in 2021.
She said the two signatories to the accounts are Mr Stephen and Mrs Patricia but all transfer instructions that came to that account was instructed by Mrs Emefiele.
She however added that whenever she sends instructions or sends it through the other two people that works with them, she will have to get a confirmation from her because acting in the instructions.
The witness added: “Limelight manages the facilities of CBN, located at Alakija.
“All transactions pertaining to power and fixing things that are not working was always done by the vendors.
” So far Answim was basically used to provide diesel to their vendors.
” They have printing and miniting company located at Ikoyi. For Comec, they were also facilities for the CBN guest house in Ikoyi.”
The witness further told the court that she usually communicate with Emefiele’s wife through email, phone calls and Whatsapp on transactions that were to be carried out on the accounts before proceeding it.
She said the bundles of documents which entailed the various transactions were printed from her desktop computer.
“The documents were sent to my email and when investigation started, I was requested to print all the documents to the law enforcement which I did.
” I printed from the office desk top and took them to compliance officer.
“I also have certificate confirming that these documents were printed from Zenith Bank,” Ogbonnaya said.
Ogbonna further told the court that between March 9, and 11, 2015, the account received cash flow from CBN, to the tune of N1, 792,593 and N18,869,400.
“On February 22, 2021, there was a cash flow of N42,988,758.75 from CBN, on July 21, 2022, there was a cash flow of N37,279,964.70. on October 21, 2022, there was a credit flow of N44,641,077.60, on May 10, 2023, there was a cash flow of N93,100,000,from CBN, among others.
Earlier, at the resume of the proceedings , Justice Oshodi in a short ruling granted Emefiele’s request to recall the first prosecution witness, Monday Osazuwa for re- cross examination.
The matter was subsequently adjourned till today, July 10, for the continuation of trial.
