A seventh prosecution witness John Adetola, a Personal Assistant to the embattled former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele told trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja that he handed over $400,000 to him.
The witness told the court while being led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) on Thursday.
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.
According to Adetola, “I joined the CBN in June 2014 but before I was with Veritas Registrars, formerly Zenith Registrars. I joined the company in 2007.”
He said that he knew the former CBN Governor before as the Managing Director of Zenith Bank before he started working at the CBN.
Adetola narrated further “In 2018, I can’t remember the date, Mr. Eric Odoh sent me a message on WhatsApp that I should go collect $400,000 from John Ayo and to give to the former CBN Governor when he came to Lagos.”
“I went to the house of John Ayo at Lekki in Lagos. He gave me an envelope and I came back to the office, I gave it to the former CBN Governor.”
He told the court that he managed the office correspondence, visitors of the governor in Lagos, which gave him direct access to the apex bank Governor.
The witness said he received an invite from EFCC in the course of his duty sometimes in February 2023 to interview him on his relationship with Emefiele.
He informed the judge, “I made a voluntary statement at EFCC office”
The witness said he was summoned from Ekiti, his new posting place.
He told the court: “In 2018, I can’t remember the date, Mr. Eric Odoh sent me a message on WhatsApp that I should go collect $400,000 from John Ayo and to give to the former CBN Governor when he came to Lagos.”
“I went to the house of John Ayo at Lekki in Lagos. He gave me an envelope and I came back to the office, I gave it to the former CBN Governor.”
When asked to mention his means of communication with Emefiele, he said, “I communicate with the former CBN Governor through telephone, office line, e-mail and verbal communication.”
Naming some of Emefiele family members, the witness said, “I know Mr. George, I know Mr. Okanta. They are Mr. Emefiele’s brothers. I know his wife, Mrs. Margaret Emefiele. I know the second defendant, Henry Omoile.”
Oyedepo asked him whether in the cause of discharging his duty to the former CBN Governor, if he had any interaction with John Ayo.
He explained, “Yes we work together, John Ayo was the former Director of the ICT.”
Adetola also informed the court that his phone was accessed by the EFCC which some office documents were seen and questioned on which was printed out.
“In 2018, I can’t remember the date, Mr. Eric sent me a message on WhatsApp that I should go collect $400,000 from John Ayo and give to the former CBN Governor when he comes to Lagos”
“I went to the house of John Ayo at Lekki in Lagos State, he gave me an envelope and I came back to the office, I gave it to the former CBN Governor.”
The witness was shown some documents and he confirmed it.
Oyedepo thereafter sought the permission of the court to tender the bundle of documents.
Olaleko Ojo (SAN) counsel to the first defendant, Godwin Emefiele objected to the admissibility of the documents.
In his words,“ I am objecting to the documents on ground, that there is substantial compliances. It has been tendered for purposes of identification. May I with respect submit that no provision in Evidence Act that allowed documents to be tendered for identification purposes.
“He never said he was the one that printed it. I can see an identification on the top of the evidence, who is not the witness but a name, Idi Musa.”
Ojo argued before the court that the purpose for which the documents being tendered was for identification.
In a similar posture, the counsel to the second defendant Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN) countered and also objected to the admissibility of the documents stating that the prosecuting counsel did not cite the law.
The Prosecution however insisted on tendering it for purpose of identification.
Oyedepo asked the witness to state the contents of the bundle of documents.
Adetola said: “The documents are combination of official communication between myself and the Governor via Whatsapp, between myself and John Ogah and Eric Odoh. It also contain other official documents that I received for action.
“It also contain office consumables, and other documents from Limelight, Comec and Dummia Oil. The other documents have to do with the admin department for procurements.
“The document were found on my phone and were printed at EFCC.”
The defence team objected to the admissibility of the documents citing section 84 of the Evidence Act.
Kotoye stated that he cannot see the purpose of the documents being tendered for identification under the law.
He argued, “If a document is not tendered as an exhibit, it should not be tendered at all.”
Justice Oshodi in a bench ruling admitted the documents and marked it as “purpose of identification”.
He adjourned the matter till December 10, 2024.
