Monday Osazuwa, a Senior Supervisor with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Lagos Branch has disclosed that he collected $3million in cash for Godwin Emefiele, while he was Governor of the apex bank.
The Prosecution Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, (SAN), led the first prosecution witness in evidence at the commencement of the trial of the embattled former banker on Friday.
Giving evidence before Justice Rahman Oshodi of Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Osazuwa, claimed he was initially a contract staff in 2001 as a dispatch rider when the first defendant was the Deputy Managing Director at the Zenith Bank Plc before Emefiele moved to CBN.
According to him, “Godwin Emefiele moved to CBN, I was at CBN Lagos Governor’s Office as contract staff.
“I performed role as a Senior Supervisor. I carried out my official role of recording and filing. The other assignment the first defendant always gives me is to go on errands for him.
“I could recall in 2020, when he was outside Lagos, he called me that he would give me a number that a man has something, he would collect something from him. And that the man will give me another number of another person.”
He explained that when he got to the man’s office, he was given an envelope.
He added, “I opened it, counted the money and he said I should give it to my boss.
“When the first defendant is around he would collect money by himself but any time the defendant is not around he will say I should give it to Mr. Isioma to keep it for him until he comes.
“The highest amount I collected is $1 million all in cash and some weeks later, the man also gave me $850,000, $750,000 and $400,000 cash in tranches.”
Continuing, Osazuwa said that Emefiele also sent him to MINL Limited when he was with Zenith Bank PLC.
He said, “This company is situated at Isolo, the first defendant did send me to collect cheques from the company, from Mr. Monday. When I collect the cheque from Mr. Monday, I will give it back to Emefiele and he will lodge the money into Dumies Oil and Gas Limited.”
He told the court further that the second defendant lives in the residence of Emefiele. He stated that when he collects money for his boss, he takes it to his residence at Iru Close, Ikoyi.
When the prosecution witness was asked what his benefit was, he claimed, “I have never been rewarded, paid or given anything because I am doing it out of faithfulness and he knows it but he has never for once said take this.”
Under cross-examination by Abdulhakeem Labi-Lawal, the Defence Counsel, Osazuwa insisted that the first defendant (Emefiele) passed instructions through the second defendant, Henry Isioma Omoile, to him.
He however told the court when he was made to confront the second defendant during investigation, the second defendant didn’t admit it.
Earlier, the judge granted N50 million bail to the first defendant, for alleged abuse of office and fraud to the tune of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
While ruling on the bail application, the judge admitted Emefiele to N50 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
The judge held that the sureties must be gainfully employed and have three years tax payment with the Lagos State Government.
Justice Oshodi also said that the sureties must show proper identification and they must be registered in the Lagos State Bail Management System.
The judge also said that he was satisfied with the bail conditions of N1million, earlier given to Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Isioma-Omoile, standing another charge before Justice Olufunke Sule-Hamzat before a Yaba High Court.
The trial judge however said that the bail documents must be transferred to Special Offences Court and it must also be registered in the Lagos State Bail Management System.
Emefiele was arraigned on an amended information of a 23-count charge by the EFCC, on alledged offences bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property receipt.
The EFCC had on April 8 arraigned Emefiele on a 23-count charge bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained and conferring corrupt advantage, while his Omoile was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on acceptance of gift by agents.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
During the trial, Oshodi had declined the oral application for adjournment moved twice by the defence counsel.
The judge adjourned the case until April 29 for trial and hearing of application for closed session.
https://casefileng.com/2024/04/08/allegations-against-godwin-emefiele-case-continues-on-april-112024
