Emefiele’s Secretary Revealed How Ex-CBN Governor Used Niece’s Account To Receive Fund 

Posted on October 31, 2024

A Former Secretary to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr John Ogah on Wednesday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court how said the embattled former governor used his niece’s account to receive funds.

Ogah, said this in the continuation of his evidence in chief on Wednesday while being led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

Ogah told the court that one Hannah was Emefiele’s niece and he (Emefiele) once instructed the account officer of Zenith Bank Mrs Ifeoma Ogbonnaya to send funds into Hannah’s account.

“Hannah Emefiele is a niece to the first defendant. She is one the beneficiaries of the fund because my boss gives letter of instructions through mails which I forward to the account officer.

“In one of the mails, he instructed Ogbonnaya to pay into the account of Hannah Emefiele while I was still working with him,” Ogah said.

Emefiele’s Counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), however objected and queried 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, however, was alleged to have benefitted from the proceeds.

“The name came up because some of the proceeds that went into this account is traceable to some of the relatives of the first defendant,” he said.

The witness told the court that Ogbonnaya was the account officer of Limelight, Comec and Answin Resources Ltd. allegedly owned by Emefiele.

He further spoke into several emails messages which he told the court was given to him by Emefiele to send to Ogbonnaya asking her to carry out various instructions on behalf of the three companies allegedly owned by the former governor.

While under cross-examination, the witness confirmed to the court that Emefiele, his wife, Margaret, were not shareholders of the three companies alleged to be owned by them.

He confirmed to the court that he understood beneficial ownership of shares and that it is always in a documented form.

The witness, however, told the court 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 Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN), the witness confirmed to the court that he is a director and a shareholder of a construction company.

“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,” he said.

Justice Rahman Oshodi adjourned the case until Nov. 28 for continuation of trial.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has set the wheels in... Continue
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery said it has not received any payments from the Independent... Continue
ROSE ORANYE  Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, has advised the leadership... Continue
BY MICHAEL AKINOLA  Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos,... Continue
The Federal Government Thursday unveiled the details of the 63-kilometre axis of Ondo State... Continue
DR WALT JOHNSON   When discussing global health crises, it is common to think... Continue
In a powerful opening to the 2024 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, the president... Continue
ROSE ORANYE  The Executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has been... Continue
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) at its Special General Assembly held at Port... Continue
ROSE ORANYE  The Commissioner for Information, Anambra State, Dr. Law Mefor, on Wednesday, October... Continue

UBA

DANGOTE AD

GLO


Access Bank

Twitter

Sponsored