Former Secretary to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), John Ogah, provided further testimony on Wednesday at a Lagos High Court in Ikeja regarding the ongoing case against former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.
Gatekeepers News reports that during his testimony, Ogah revealed that Emefiele had listed his niece, Hannah, as a beneficiary of funds from an account allegedly operated on his behalf.
As the sixth prosecution witness in the case, Ogah responded to questions posed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Oyedepo.
He confirmed that Emefiele had instructed Ifeoma Ogbonnaya, the fifth prosecution witness and an account officer at Zenith Bank, to transfer funds to his niece’s account.
In response to this line of questioning, Emefiele’s defense counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olalekan Ojo, objected, questioning the relevance of the testimony since Hannah’s name was not included in the charges.
Ojo argued that this was an attempt to introduce sensational elements into the proceedings.
The EFCC counsel countered this objection, asserting that the testimony was pertinent to the allegations of abuse of office and the corrupt advantages conferred on Emefiele’s associates and family members, including his wife, Margaret.
Also, the EFCC presented several email messages sent by Ogah to the account officer concerning fund transfers for three companies: Comec Support Services Ltd, Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd, and Andswin Resources Limited, which are alleged to have been used to launder funds for Emefiele.
Justice Rahman Oshodi has adjourned the case to November 28, 2024, for the continuation of the trial.
