3 weeks ago
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An Ikeja Special Offences Court connected Thursday admitted into grounds the WhatsApp speech indicting the erstwhile Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, of $4.5 cardinal fraud and maltreatment of office.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Rahman Oshodi overruled the objections of the defence and admitted the WhatsApp speech presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into evidence.
Oshodi admitted and labeled the documents arsenic grounds “G”.
The tribunal besides admitted immoderate phones into evidence.
Emefiele is facing a 19-count complaint bordering connected receiving gratification and corrupt demands.
His co-defendant, Mr Henry Omoile, is facing a three-count complaint for unlawful acceptance of gifts by agents.
The charges progressive alleged transactions amounting to $4.5 cardinal and N2.8 billion.
The EFCC Counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), continued with the grounds of Mr Alvan Grumnaan (EFCC), who provided different caller insights into the grounds uncovered during investigations.
Grumnaan continued his grounds by speechmaking the WhatsApp speech betwixt Omoile, telling John Adetola successful grounds G, that helium should springiness $400,000 to ‘oga’ (Emefiele).
He said: “During our investigation, we asked for clarification from him, helium explained that determination is simply a speech betwixt him and Omoile connected the telephone regarding however to conscionable Ikechukwu-Ayoh to cod $400,000 connected behalf of Emefiele.
“John Adetola confirmed that helium went to Lekki successful Lagos, wherever helium met John Ikechukwu-Ayoh, a idiosyncratic adjunct to the CBN governor, to present the money.
“We further asked him what the connection was.
He confirmed it was $400,000 and proceeded to the CBN bureau successful Lagos, wherever helium handed it implicit to Emefiele successful the CBN office”.
“We made a telephone to Ikechukwu-Ayoh who was moving astatine that clip successful CBN to study to our bureau successful Lagos wherever helium was interviewed.”
The witnesser further told the tribunal that Ikechukwu-Ayoh confirmed that Adetola came to his location and gave him the wealth to springiness to Emefiele.
According to the witness, it is not lone transactions.
Grumnaan further told the tribunal that determination was different $200,000 Ikechukwu-Ayoh received from the aforesaid idiosyncratic and handed to Emefiele successful his Lagos office.
“We invited Mr Victor Oyedua, the CBN contractor, who reported to our bureau and confirmed during the interrogation that helium gave Ikechukwu-Ayoh the sum of $400,000 and $200,000, respectively, to present to the archetypal defendant.
“He confirmed helium was a CBN contractor and 2 of his works were hanging astatine that clip with the CBN, and helium has not been paid.
“The contractor was told helium needed to settee immoderate absorption to facilitate his money, the crushed helium gave retired the sum of wealth and his connection was besides recorded,” the witnesser said.
The prosecution further tendered immoderate documents from the CBN arsenic exhibits earlier the court.
The EFCC counsel said the papers was an archetypal missive from a institution to the EFCC dated Feb. 24, 2024.
According to him, the papers is grounds of what EFCC received.
“This is the nationalist papers EFCC received during the investigation.
“It is the superior evidence,” the authoritative said.
However, the defence, led by Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and Mr Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN), objected to their admissibility, citing concerns implicit authenticity and due certification.
The defence urged the tribunal to cull each the photocopy documents arsenic exhibits.
The court, however, overruled their objections and admitted the bundle of documents arsenic exhibits H.
Also, John Adetola’s phone, MI10T, which was inactive connected formation mode but switched on, was tendered and admitted arsenic Exhibit I.
The WhatsApp speech betwixt John Adetola and Omoile was analysed and presented successful court.
The prosecution further tendered immoderate statements of the 2nd suspect made during the probe and urged the tribunal to admit them arsenic evidence.
The defence counsel, however, objected that the 2nd suspect made the connection nether duress.
The court, thereafter, adjourned the lawsuit until Nov. 21 for the parties’ study connected the statement regarding the forensic inspection.
The justice further adjourned the lawsuit until Dec. 2 for proceedings wrong a trial.
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