An Ikeja Special Offences Court has heard how former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele instructed his erstwhile despatch rider, Monday Osasuwa, not to formally acknowledge millions of dollars collected on his behalf from various sources.
Osasuwa, who is the first prosecution witness (PW1) in a case the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed against Emefiele, said this yesterday during re-examination by counsel to Emefiele, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), before Justice Rahman Oshodi.
The witness told the court that he had no record of all the money he collected and handed over to the former CBN governor.
The court had recalled Osasuwa, following the granting of an application Ojo filed over the case.
The lawyer asked Osasuwa if he produced any documents to the EFCC showing Emefiele’s instructions, and the witness said: “He advised me not to write anything down for all the money I brought to him. I did not produce any document because my boss told me not to keep any records. I only obeyed my boss.
“Whenever my boss was not around, he instructed me to give it to the second defendant (Henry Omoile).”
On April 12, Osasuwa had testified that Emefiele, on different occasions, used him to collect funds from different sources as the ex-CBN governor’s despatch rider.
The witness said after he became a CBN staff member, he collected over $3 million in tranches on behalf of Emefiele.
When Ojo asked the witness who his direct boss was at the CBN, Osasuwa said: “I did not have one direct boss. In my office, we have the Secretary to the former CBN Governor Emefelie.”
When the lawyer further asked Osasuwa if in his appointment letter as a senior supervisor, it was stated that he was to run personal errands for Emefiele, the witness replied: “If my boss gives me instructions, I can’t refuse.”
He told the court that based on the errands he ran for Emefelie, the EFCC said he was charged with money laundering.
“I have been carrying some dollars for him; so, the EFCC tagged it money laundering. It was based on the messages my boss sent me.”
Emefiele is standing trial for alleged abuse of office and money laundering to the tune of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
The EFCC had, on April 8, arraigned the ex-CBN governor on 23 counts bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage.
Omoile was arraigned on three counts bordering on acceptance of gifts by agents.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Emefiele was admitted to N50 million bail with two sureties in like sum.