By Adedapo Adesanya
A new witness called by the prosecution, Mr Michael Agboro, has alleged that embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, awarded contracts to companies belonging to his wife and brother-in-law.
Mr Emefiele is standing trial on an alleged 20-count amended charge, preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a High Court in Maitama, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He is alleged to have engaged in criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence and obtaining money by false pretence when he served as the apex bank’s boss.
The EFCC alleged that the former CBN boss forged a document titled Re: Presidential Directive on Foreign Election Observer Missions dated January 26, 2023, with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201 and purported same to have emanated from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (AGF).
He is also accused of using his office as CBN governor to confer an unfair and corrupt advantage on two companies named April 1616 Nigeria Limited and Architekon Nigeria Limited.
Mr Agboro, an investigator with the Independent, Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), was cross-examined further by Mr Emefiele’s counsel, Mr Matthew Burkaa, and answered that the former banker “conferred on Ms Saadatu Yaro, who is a public officer working under him.”
He also disclosed that he conferred on his wife and brother-in-law.
When asked if Emefiele alone could award and approve contracts, he answered that the contracts were approved by the defendant.
Answering if there was no difference between CBN and Mr Emefiele, he said, “The difference is that the defendant was an employee of CBN.”
Asked if the defendant was a member of the tender’s board or procurement department, he said he had no idea but noted that, “We limited our investigation to him, his wife, relatives and associates.
“Our findings revealed that the defendant was not a director or shareholder or an account signatory in either April 1616 Limited or Architekon Nigeria Limited.
He also admitted that there was no evidence of any payment made to Emefiele by these companies in the course of performing his duties at the CBN.
Also when asked if, in the course of their investigation, they interviewed people in the CBN to determine whether the two firms executed the jobs they were contracted to do, the witness answered in the affirmative.
However, when asked if the team in their final report stated this fact, the witness said he could not recall if they did.
Mr Agboro being led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo on March 11 tendered several documents including company registration documents and awards as well as payments for contracts relating to the two forms.