I collected $400k cash from ex-CBN director for Emefiele, personal assistant tells court

John Adetola, personal assistant to Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has testified in the ongoing trial of his principal.

Adetola appeared before the Ikeja special offences court in Lagos on Thursday.

Emefiele is standing trial for alleged abuse of office. He has also been accused of misappropriating $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion during his spell in office.

He is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside his co-defendant, Henry Omoile.

Omoile is facing a three-count charge bordering on unlawful acceptance of gifts by agents.

At the resumed hearing, Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to EFCC, told the court that Adetola managed office correspondence and visitors of the former CBN governor in Lagos.

Oyedepo said Adetola’s position provided him with direct access to Emefiele.

Presenting his testimony, Adetola said sometime in February 2023, he received an invite from EFCC and was interviewed on his relationship with Emefiele.

The personal assistant said in 2018, he was directed to collect the sum of $400,000 cash from John Ayoh, a former director at CBN, on Emefiele’s behalf.

“In 2018, Mr Eric Odoh, the personal assistant to the governor in Abuja, sent a message to me that I should go and meet Mr John Ayoh, the former director of ICT department to collect $400,000 and give it to the CBN governor,” Adetola said.

“I went to Mr Ayoh’s house in Lekki and he gave me the envelope.

“I came back to the office and gave the envelope to the governor.”

In April, Ayoh had told the court that he collected money from contractors as gratification, following Emefiele’s directives.

Ayoh said he collected $600,000 in kickbacks which was handed to Emefiele’s personal assistants.

SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS

During his testimony, Adetola added that he communicated with Emefiele via phone, email, office line and verbally whenever he was around.

The witness identified bundles of documents showing official communication between him and the ex-CBN governor.

He confirmed documents showing his communication with Ayoh and Eric Odoh, personal assistant to the governor in Abuja.

The prosecution sought to tender the bundles of documents for identification.

Olalekan Ojo, Emefiele’s counsel, did not object.

However, Adeyinka Kotoye, counsel to the second defendant, objected and argued that the documents had no basis in law.

In his response, Oyedepo said the documents were relevant and were essential ingredients in the case.

“The documents are for the purpose of identification,” he said.

Delivering the ruling, Rahman Oshodi, presiding judge, accepted the documents after considering the submissions of the parties.

Oshodi adjourned the case to December 10 for cross examination of the witness.