Emefiele Faces Accusations Of Utilizing Forged Documents To Transfer $6.2m To Foreign Observers, Ex-SGF Testifies In Fraud Trial

Emefiele Faces Accusations Of Utilizing Forged Documents To Transfer $6.2m To Foreign Observers, Ex-SGF Testifies In Fraud Trial

Boss Mustapha, the former Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), revealed on Tuesday that $6.2 million was unlawfully released from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in February 2023 using forged documents…..READ ALSO CBN Under Scrutiny Over $4.5 Billion Discrepancy In Nigeria’s Foreign Reserves During Emefiele’s Tenure

Mustapha made this disclosure while appearing as the fourth prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that Emefiele colluded with Odoh Ocheme, who is currently evading arrest, to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN under false pretenses. The fraudulent transaction was purportedly requested by the SGF through a forged letter dated January 26, 2023.

In his testimony, Mustapha denied authorizing the documents used for the transaction, emphasizing that they did not originate from the president’s office. He highlighted several discrepancies in the forged documents, including irregularities in the signature and format, which deviated from standard presidential correspondences.

Furthermore, Mustapha asserted that the Federal Government has no involvement in engaging foreign election observers, clarifying that such responsibilities solely belong to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He also refuted claims of receiving any portion of the $6.2 million, affirming that neither he nor his office had any association with the transaction.

Under cross-examination, Mustapha reiterated that there was no official memo authorizing payments to any government agency related to the fraudulent transaction. He emphasized that sending staff to banks to receive cash for such purposes was not a standard practice in his office.

Earlier in the trial, Ogbu Michael, a former Branch Controller at the CBN who is now a Deputy Director, testified that he authorized the $6.2 million payment following approval from the banking services department.

The ongoing trial underscores the gravity of financial fraud allegations and the imperative for accountability and transparency in public institutions.