EFCC Witness: No Document Links Emefiele, Wife as Beneficial Owner of Companies

Wale Igbintade

A prosecution witness, John Ogah, in the on-going trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele, yesterday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court, that he did not produce to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC any share beneficial documents linking either Mrs. Magret Emefiele or her husband with 3 companies allegedly used for money laundering.

John Ogah under cross-examination by the lead counsel to Godwin Emefiele, Mr. Olalekan Ojo SAN, told the court that he did not produce to the EFCC, any documents showing that Godwin Emefiele and Margaret Emefiele were Beneficial Owners of Limelight, Comec, and Andswin.

Asked if the EFCC presented him with any documents on Beneficial Ownership in the three companies. His answer was no.

He was further asked if the documents given revealed that Godwin Emefiele and his wife were Beneficial Owners of the companies? He answer was no.

Ogah who was a former secretary to Emefiele said there was nothing in the documents he tendered while in the EFCC custody that linked Emefiele and his wife to the three companies, namely Limelight, Comec, and Answin Resources Limited.

He stated: “I have never come across any document relating to beneficial ownership of the 3 companies, apart from documents given to me by my boss.

“In the course of my interaction with EFCC, I did not see any document of beneficial owner of Emefiele in the 3 companies. Also, operatives of EFCC also did not produce any document linking Emefiele to the companies.

“Concerning Mrs. Magret Emefiele, I did not produce any share beneficial documents linking her to the 3 companies, neither did the operatives of EFCC produce any document relating to the beneficial ownership of the 3 companies.

“I have never come across any document relating to beneficial ownership of the 3 companies, apart from documents given to me by my boss.

“I have not come in contact with information that Emefiele is the Director or shareholder in Limelight, Comec or Andswin, not a signatory. Neither have I come in contact that Emefiele has shareholder meeting.

“I have never come across any document showing Mrs Magret Emefiele is a director of any of directors, participating in the minutes of board of directors of the 3 coys.”

He further told the court that it was one Opeyemi Olujimi, a former accountant of the companies that told him, that Mrs. Emefiele owns the companies.

Asked if while working at CBN, he realised that he was a public servant. He said Yes.

Were you engaged in business either alone or in partnership with somebody? – the witness said “I can’t remember. My wife asked me to buy clothes. I can’t remember telling EFCC that I engaged in any business while I was in CBN. I knew that I was not supposed to be, but some are. These are farming, private business with my wife.”

Confronted with his extra-judicial statements made on February 26, which he read to the hearing of the court, the witness said: “While working as public officers at CBN I was also in business of forex transaction, with Eze. I was sharing in the gains with Eze in forex transaction. I was referring to Eze anybody who needed forex.

“I also facilitated that forex transaction carried out with Eze. This happened because I was in CBN.”

The witness also disclosed that he was detained by EFCC for 11 days in connection with the case.

He said he started working as Secretary with Emefiele as far back as 31 years (1993) stating: “I have seen his signature and I’m familiar with it.”

As regards, the emails /documents he sent to Zenith Bank, he was asked whether he wrote in any of the mails that the 1st defendant told him to send the mail. He answered No.

He was asked if he introduced an electronic filing system in the CBN governor’s office. He answered Yes, he did by his recommendation.

The witness also admitted that there was no written communications with the defendant about the documents tendered in court.

Emefiele is standing trial over alleged abuse of office and money laundering to the tune of $4.5bn and N2.8bn.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had, on April 8, 2024, arraigned Emefiele on 23 counts bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage.

The matter has been adjourned till November 28 for continuation of trial