Procurement fraud: Court adjourns Emefiele’s trial till October 21

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, on Tuesday, fixed October 21 for the continuation of the trial of a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele.

The trial judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, fixed the date on the agreement of the counsel after the close of the cross-examination of the ninth prosecution witness, Mrs Abibia Ockiya-Ogeleye.

Ockiya-Ogeleye, a lawyer, answering questions from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that she rendered some services to the company, Architekon Nigeria Limited.

She told the court that in 2021, she filed the company’s annual report and also changed the director and shareholders of the company.

She added that before the addition, Architekon had only two directors.

She said, “Sometime in 2021 one madam Esther called me to effect a change in the company by adding her as a director of the company.”

She tendered a CAC document, which contained the names of Margaret Omoyile, McCombo Omoyile and Esther Oyeladun Adeoun as shareholders.

She also tendered another document containing the record of transfer from McCombo to Margaret, dated March 4, 2021, as well as another document containing the resolution of the company on Esther’s admittance as a director of Architekon.

The witness also presented to the court a copy of an email she said Oyeladun sent her requesting that she be added as a director of the company.

Justice Muazu admitted all the documents as evidence.

The defence counsel, Mathew Burkaa (SAN), during cross-examination, asked the witness if she had a physical meeting with McCombo and she replied no.

He asked her about the signatures in the company documents she presented and if she saw McCombo sign on it.

She replied that she couldn’t tell whether they were at the meeting and signed the resolution since they were sent to her and she wasn’t physically there.

Earlier, the eight prosecution witnesses, a Zenith Bank Compliance Officer, Mr Umar Tilda, tendered three bank documents before the court which included a copy of Emefiele’s bank statement.

Tilda, citing a portion in Emefiele’s bank statement, informed the court that there was a N4 million transfer from Emefiele’s account with the bank to Architekon on January 13, 2015.

When Burkaa asked him if he knew what the transfer was meant for, he said he did not know.

Also when asked if he knew that the accounts he listed as belonging to Emefiele were salary accounts, investments, savings and dividends, he replied, “I wouldn’t know.”

He also confirmed that some of the accounts contained Capital Interest Credit.

He also confirmed that a transaction of N15 million debit, dated April 13, 2015, in count number 2020000064 was part of litigation.

The court adjourned till October 21, for the continuation of trial.

The court fixed July 8, to hear an application by Emefiele seeking the release of his passport to enable him to travel for medical care.

His lawyer had told the court that since he left office, he hasn’t gone for medical treatment.

Emefiele is facing trial on an alleged 20-count amended charge, preferred against him by the EFCC.

The embattled former CBN governor among others, is accused of using his office as CBN governor to confer unfair and corrupt advantage on his wife, colleague, Mrs Yaro and two companies; April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd.