A sixth prosecution witness, John Ogah, the Secretary to former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, on Wednesday, told the trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja that his boss instructed him to send email to Ifeoma Ogbonna, account officer of three companies to send money to beneficiaries.
The witness told the court that he sent messages via email to the account officer of three companies: Comec, Limelight, and Answin Resources Limited in Zenith Bank to transfer some amount to certain beneficiaries.
Emefiele is standing trial over abuse of office, alleged $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud while in office alongside Henry Omoile, a co-defendant.
He told the court that Emefiele used his niece, Hannah Emefiele’s account to receive funds.
While being led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Ogah said he acted on Emefiele’s instruction to send email to Ogbonnaya, the account officer in Zenith Bank, to send money into Hannah’s account.
“Hannah Emefiele is a niece to the first defendant. Is one the beneficiaries of the fund because my boss gives letter of instructions through emails which I forward to the account officer.”
Then the witness was shown exhibit P series, 118, 123 and 125 wherein he read out email messages as instructed by his boss, Emefiele.
“In one of the emails, he instructed Ogbonaya to pay into the account of Hannah Emefiele while I was still working with him.”
Ogah was however cross-examined by Emefiele’s counsel, Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN), who vehemently opposed reading out a document the witness was not the author and the relevance of the name mentioned by the witness.
Ojo argued that Hannah’s name was not mentioned anywhere in the charge, he argued that the prosecution imported the name in the course of giving evidence.
Oyedepo affirmed that though the defendant’s niece’s name was not mentioned in the charge she was alleged to have benefitted from the proceeds.
“The name came up because some of the proceeds that went into this account are traceable to some of the relatives of the first defendant.”
Ogah confirmed to the court that Ogbonnaya was the account officer of Limelight, Comec and Answin Resources Limited.
The witness further spoke into several email messages which he told the court were given to him by his Emefiele to send to Ogbonnaya asking her to carry out various instructions on behalf of the three companies allegedly owned by the past governor.
While Ogah was further cross-examined, he confirmed to the court that Emefiele and his wife, Margaret, were not shareholders of the three companies alleged to be owned by them.
The witness also told the court that he understood beneficial ownership of shares and that it is always in a documented form.
He said that he did not produce any document indicating that Emefiele and his wife are shareholders of the three companies.
While being cross-examined by the second defence lead counsel, Mr.kazee Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN), he said that he is a director and a shareholder of a construction company, Ochochek-Tee.
“The company has account with Zenith Bank, but I am not a signatory to it. My name is not on the mandate form when the account was opened. I have two email accounts, one official and a private account.”
Justice Oshodi adjourned further trial to November 28, 2024.
