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Emefiele acquired properties through proxies, EFCC tells court - PUNCH
The trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, took a fresh turn on Thursday as an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigator, Mr Alvan Gurumnaan, told the court that Emefiele allegedly used associates, including a lawyer, to acquire multi-billion-naira properties through proxies while in office.
Gurumnaan, who was testifying as the seventh prosecution witness before the Ikeja Special Offences Court, said the properties allegedly linked to him had been recovered in Lagos, Delta, Ogun and Abuja.
He said investigators recovered more than $2m in cash from the office of a lawyer, Ifeanyi Omeke, who allegedly admitted to acting as a front for Emefiele and receiving money on his behalf.
The witness gave the evidence while continuing his testimony before Justice Rahman Oshodi during the trial of Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile.
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Emefiele is facing a 19-count charge bordering on alleged gratification, corrupt demands and abuse of office involving transactions valued at $4.5bn and N2.8bn.
Omoile is standing trial on a three-count charge of alleged unlawful acceptance of gifts.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Gurumnaan said Emefiele’s statement was recorded during an investigation by the special operations team he led.
He alleged that Emefiele used his position as CBN governor to create a system that made it difficult for ordinary Nigerians and business owners to access foreign exchange for their legitimate businesses.
According to him, the situation forced some businessmen to resort to special arrangements allegedly imposed by the former CBN governor before they could access foreign exchange.
The witness said, “One of those examples was how a company had to pay millions of dollars to the first defendant through his staff, Monday Osazuwa.
“Osazuwa admitted to us in the course of the investigation that he received about $17m from the company and gave it to the second defendant sometime.
“The second defendant was the one who later took the money to the first defendant.”
Gurumnaan further cited the case of Source Computer, alleging that its managing director was compelled to pay money to Emefiele before the company’s contract fees were released.
The investigator subsequently detailed properties allegedly acquired by Emefiele through associates, claiming that their value exceeded his legitimate earnings as CBN governor.
