By Celestine Okafor (Editor-in-chief)
The 12th Prosecution Witness, PW12, David Oyesina Jaiyeoba in the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN's governor, Godwin Emefiele, on Friday, January 30, 2026, told the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu that the sum of $2,045,000 (Two Million, Forty Five Thousand United States Dollars) and title documents recovered from Emefiele’s lawyer, belonged to Emefiele.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel and Director, Public Prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness, an investigation officer with the Economic and financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, informed the court that the defendant’s investigation was triggered by a report sent to the Commission by the Inter-Agency Task Force, headed by the Directorate of State Services, DSS.
“Several individuals, companies and government agencies were invited and interviewed and several findings were made,” he said, adding that a lot of assets as well as cash were recovered in the process which have been forfeited to the federal government.
“Two million dollars was discovered to have come from one Eric Ocheme Odo. The said Eric was PA (Personal Assistant) to the defendant during his tenure as governor of CBN. It was confirmed by the person who kept the over $2,0450,000, who happens to be the lawyer of the defendant, that the cash we found in his possession was the property of the defendant. We found property documents and he also confirmed that the property belonged to the defendant,” he said.
Testifying further, he said, “My lord, funds amounting to $2,045,000.00 alongside several property title documents were recovered from Zenith Bank Plc Headquarters in Lagos in the possession of one Mr. Collins Omeife, lawyer to the defendant. In the course of our investigations on Collins, it was discovered that Mr. Collins Omeife had been acquiring and perfecting title documents on the instruction of the defendant.”
Omeife, according to the witness, disclosed on interrogation that the defendant was in the habit of giving him cash, some in foreign currency, precisely United States Dollars for the acquisition of properties. He further stated that the funds were usually sent to him by the defendant’s personal assistant, Eric Ocheme Odoh. Omeife, the witness said, also used part of the funds to renovate some of the old assets of the defendant.
The PW12 added that the defendant’s ownership of the assets was further confirmed by the defendant when he came to show cause as to why the assets should not be forfeited to the federal government.
He also informed the court that Emefiele approved payments for contracts to several companies including Architekon Nigeria Limited, promoted by MacCombo Omoile, his brother-in-law and Margaret Omoile, his wife. According to him, the defendant approved payment for Messrs. Architekon Nigeria Ltd, disclosing that Exhibit A1 is an internal memorandum of the CBN, showing approval for the payment of the CBN governor’s residential house in Ikoyi Lagos. He further stated that Exhibit A2 is a contract document for the landscaping of the governor’s residence by Architekon Nigeria Ltd.
The witness highlighted that Exhibit A5 is an internal memo of the CBN, requesting for approval to pay the sum of N97,908,416.38 (Ninety Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Eight Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Thirty Eight Kobo) to Architekon Nig Ltd for the supply of office furniture to the CBN, approved by the defendant, while Exhibit A8, is another internal memo of the CBN, a contract for the provision of dedicated power in the CBN governor’s residence, with an interim certificate, approved by the defendant.
The witness further highlighted that there was correspondence between the EFCC and Zenith Bank in respect of the defendant’s account, adding that Exhibit ED1, ED2, ED3 are responses received from EFCC’s request to Zenith Bank Plc on the accounts of the defendant. “Exhibit ED3 is a debit entry on the account of the defendant to the account no 2020000064, amounting to N4 million which was paid to Architekon Nigeria Ltd.
Justice Muazu adjourned the matter till March 5, 16 and 17, 2026 for continuation of trial.
The EFCC is prosecuting Emefiele on amended 20-count charge, bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud, and conspiracy to commit felony before Justice Muazu. NNL.
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