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Alleged fraud: Court admits bundles of documents as evidence against Emefiele
The trial of the former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, charged with abuse of office and alleged $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud continued on Thursday with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, tendering bundles of documents before the court.
The bundles of documents were tendered by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, through the third prosecution witness, Clement Ngolu, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank.
The documents were admitted as evidence following no objections from the first defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo and the second defence counsel, Adeyinka Kotoye.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the original copies of the Zenith Bank account opening package and statement of account of Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd. sent to the EFCC as evidence.
“I have read the documents dated March 2024, and I admit the original certified copy of the bundles of documents, which include account opening package and statement of accounts, into evidence and are marked as Exhibit A,” Oshodi said.
Ngolu, in his evidence, said his department responded to regulators and law enforcement agencies to ensure that bank activities were in line with banking policies and regulations.
He further stated that his department worked with agencies such as EFCC, Nigeria Police, ICPC, and NSCDC.
The witness said that his department in 2014 got a request from the EFCC to furnish them with statements of accounts for Limelight and two other accounts.
“The documents we sent to the EFCC were duly signed by the staff of the bank. The process of generating the statement was done through our computer system, which was in good condition.
“The documents were printed out from the company’s computer, which was working well and the documents were in the bank’s custody,” the witness said.
The defence, however, said they had no question for the witness.
Also, a former Director of Information Technology of CBN, Mr John Ayoh, in the continuation of his cross-examination, said he had a confrontation with Emefiele because he asked him to do something wrong.
The witness, who further confirmed that he was sidelined by the embattled governor, added that his being sidelined made him not have any relationship with him.
“I was not happy being unpopular with the former CBN governor but on a number of occasions, I signed contract letters to vendors,” he said.
The fourth witness, a contractor, testified before the court that he was allegedly pressured by the apex bank management to pay $600,000 for the contract that he had executed.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
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