An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Alvan Gurumnaan, told the Ikeja Special Offences Court on Thursday that former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele acquired multi-billion naira properties through proxies while in office.
Emefiele is facing a 19-count charge of alleged gratification, corrupt demands, and abuse of office, involving transactions valued at $ 4.5 billion and N2.8 billion, respectively.
His co-defendant, Henry Omoile, is standing trial on a three-count charge of alleged unlawful acceptance of gifts.
Continuing his testimony, Gurumnaan, led by Federal Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), stated that Emefiele’s statement was recorded during the intelligence operation led by his team.
He said the investigation revealed that Emefiele used his position as CBN governor to create a system that restricted ordinary Nigerians and business owners’ access to foreign exchange.
According to him, due to these difficulties, business owners had to comply with special arrangements set by Emefiele to access the funds.
The witness said: “One example was a company paying millions of dollars to the first defendant through his staff member, Monday Osazuwa.”
“Osazuwa admitted during the investigation that he received about 17 million US dollars from the company and gave it to the second defendant.”
“The second defendant was the one who later took the money to the first defendant.
“Furthermore, during the investigation, we found that the first defendant used his office to receive such amounts. Another example involved Source Computer, where the managing director was compelled to pay the first defendant before his contract fees were paid.”
The witness also highlighted various properties owned by the first defendant through proxies.
Gurumnaan told the court that Emefiele allegedly used associates to acquire numerous properties beyond his legitimate income as CBN governor.
According to him, several courts have ruled in favour of the EFCC, resulting in the forfeiture of assets and properties estimated at about N100 billion belonging to Emefiele.
Gurumnaan said: “He admitted in court that the properties belonged to him.”
“The first defendant used associates who admitted to receiving money on his behalf. One of them, a lawyer named Ifeanyin Omeke, was found with over 2 million US dollars in cash during our investigation at his office.”
“This same Omeke serves as secretary to several companies and admitted to being a front for the first defendant.”
“We recovered a set of twin duplexes in Lekki Phase 1 and two mansions on Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos.”
Emefiele’s lead counsel, Mr Ojo Olalekan (SAN), and Omoile’s lead counsel, Mr Kazeem Gbadamosi, objected, arguing that the witness’s testimony was not relevant to the charges before the court.
Justice Rahman Oshodi overruled the objection and held that the defendants would be at liberty to cross-examine the witness.
The witness further testified that during the investigation and while recording the first defendant’s statement, the defendant was allowed to respond to some findings but did not do so.
Gurumnaan said: “Although he did not address the allegation, our investigation found that the first defendant purchased many other properties through proxies, and I have mentioned some of them.
“We also discovered that the first defendant was building a factory in his hometown in Agbor, Delta State, which has also been forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“There is also a property, my Lord, on Adekunle Lawal Street in Ikoyi, Lagos, which the first defendant purchased. It had belonged to the Nigerian Printing and Minting Company, where he served as chairman of the board, and he sold the property to himself.
“The property, a block of eight flats in Ikoyi, has also been forfeited to the federal government. During our investigation, another warehouse belonging to the first defendant was recovered in Ogun State, on the outskirts of Lagos,” he told the court.
The witness said the warehouse contained several containers estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of naira, as well as an eleven-story building under construction with about 94 luxury flats, also belonging to Emefiele.
Gurumnaan also told the court that an estate containing about 750 houses belonging to the first defendant was recovered in the Lokogoma District of Abuja.
Oshodi adjourned the case until Nov. 13 for continuation of trial.
