Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele is standing trial over allegations of abuse of office and fraud involving $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion. At an Ikeja Special Offences Court, an Assistant Manager with Zenith Bank Plc, Ifeoma Ogbonnaya, detailed how Emefiele allegedly moved funds to his wife, Margaret Emefiele, through various companies.
Ogbonnaya, the fifth prosecution witness, explained that Emefiele used Zenith Bank to transfer multimillion-naira amounts to his wife via companies like Amswing Resources and Solution, Limelight Dimensional Service Ltd., Omec Support Service Ltd., and Mango Farm. She stated that all transactions were confirmed by Margaret Emefiele.
The witness, who manages these company accounts, provided evidence showing substantial cash flows from the CBN to these accounts. For example, she noted transactions including ₦18.9 million and ₦1.8 million in March 2015, ₦43 million in February 2021, ₦37.3 million in July 2022, ₦44.6 million in October 2022, and ₦93.1 million in May 2023.
Ogbonnaya communicated with Margaret Emefiele through email, phone calls, and WhatsApp for transaction approvals. She also mentioned that documents detailing these transactions were printed from her office desktop and provided to law enforcement.
The court admitted bundles of documents and a certificate of identification as evidence after the prosecution presented them without objection from the defense. The trial continues, with the next hearing scheduled for July 10, 2024.
