I didn’t record $400,000 cash delivery to Emefiele — Witness

The seventh prosecution witness in the corruption trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has admitted before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos that he failed to document the $400,000 he claimed to have handed to the ex-CBN boss.

The witness, John Adetola, who was an executive assistant to Emefiele stated this while testifying before Justice Rahman Oshodi on Monday.

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He alleged that he received instructions through a WhatsApp in 2018 to collect the said amount from one John Ayoh and deliver it to the former apex bank boss.

However, he provided no receipts, records, or electronic evidence to back up the alleged transaction.

“I went to the house of John Ayoh at Lekki in Lagos. He gave me an envelope, and I came back to the office and gave it to the former CBN Governor,” Adetola told the court.

Under cross-examination by Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), Adetola admitted that he did not disclose any WhatsApp or phone communication with Emefiele in his statement to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He also acknowledged that he is not facing any prosecution for his role in the alleged money delivery.

When asked why there was no documentation of the transaction, Adetola responded, “I did not see any need to document it.”

The development came as Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, continue to face a 26-count charge bordering on abuse of office, conspiracy, and alleged misappropriation of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.

Adetola described his role at the apex bank, saying he held a Higher National Diploma in Secretarial Studies and was a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management.

As executive assistant, he managed the secretariat and correspondences under Emefiele’s supervision.

“My direct boss was the first defendant,” he said, confirming that he reported directly to Emefiele.

The witness revealed he was held in EFCC custody for 11 days and questioned about the transactions, but was never made to confront either Emefiele or John Ayoh in connection with the $400,000.

Responding to questions from Yinka Kotoye (SAN), counsel for the second defendant, Adetola stated he had no dealings whatsoever with Omoile regarding the money in question.

He further denied entering into any immunity agreement with the EFCC in exchange for his testimony but said the anti-graft agency had shown him WhatsApp printouts during his interrogation.

Justice Oshodi subsequently discharged Adetola and adjourned the matter to Tuesday for further proceedings.

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