Ex-CBN director testifies to collection of $2.5m gift from $6.2m election money under Emefiele
Elegbede Abiodun
Bashirudeen Maishanu, a former a deputy director , banking supervision of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on Thursday narrated how he was given $2.5 million gift out of 6.2 million dollars withdrawn from the apex bank for 2023 election duties under former governor of the bank, Godwin Emefiele.
Maishanu revealed this while testifying in the trial of Emefiele before Justice Hamza Muazu of FCT High Court sitting at Maitama, on an amended 20-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence and obtaining money by false pretence.
The former CBN governor is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on behalf of the Federal Government for, among others, allegedly knowingly obtaining by false pretence the sum of 6,230,000 dollars meant for international election observers for the 2023 general election.
Emefile was also was also alleged to have used his position as CBN governor to have award six contracts for the supply of different vehicles to one Sa’adatu Ramalan Yaro, a member of staff of CBN, between 2018 and 2022 to the tune of N1,210,600,000.
The procurement contracts were said to have been awarded to April 1616 Investment Limited, in which the said Sa’adatu Ramalan Yaro is a director and shareholder.
The former CBN governor, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.
While being led evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, the witness narrated how sometime in early January, 2023, Emefiele’s personal assistant, Eric Ocheme, sent one Mr Ahmed to meet him over a transaction they were processing at the CBN on the authority of the President, who had already given his approval.
About a week later, he (Ahmed) met me again and told me they had obtained the President’s approval which I demanded to see.
“He showed me and then told me that they would now proceed to CBN and obtain the defendant’s (Emefiele’s) approval.
“He told me they wanted cash payment and that I should either go with them or recommend someone to go with them.
“I told him I could not go with them and I suggested that I call someone I know and he agreed.”
He added that once the approval of governor had been obtained, my friend and him can proceed for the cash payment.
The PW11 said in the court that he was later told by Ahmed that Emefiele’s approval had been obtained and on February 8, 2023 the said Ahmed and his (witness’s) friend went to the Garki, Abuja branch of CBN to cash the $6.2 million.
He further said that Ahmed later gave him, his friend and one other person $2.5 million out of the money, adding that he told his friend that the amount was outrageous.
“It was outrageous because we never negotiated any payment. I thought it was a set up,” he said.
He added that they deposited $1.9 million with a developer out of the $2.5 million as he told others that they must not touch the money.
The witness said that he was sanctioned by CBN for the money.
Maishanu told the court that the $6.2 million was never used for the purpose it was meant for.
While being cross examined by the counsel for Emefiele, Matthew Burkaa SAN, the witness told the court that the disappearance or loss of the money rests solely on him.
“I admitted to the special investigative panel appointed by President Bola Tinubu to investigate CBN activities under the defendant, I am answerable to the money being lost
”I took that took responsibility for the loss because I was inadvertently involved in the withdrawal and that the personal assistant to Emefiele, Eric Ocheme, was nowhere to be found,” he said.
He told the court that he did not know that the withdrawal was a fraud until he was confronted with document to show that the signatures of the then President Muhammad Buhari, the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha were forged.
“The disappearance of the 6.2million dollars rests on me. I accept personal responsibility for a number of reasons.
“First, I was inadvertently involved . Second, Mr Eric (Emefiele’s PA) is nowhere to be found. I have tried severally to reach him and even through friends very close to him. I did not know it was a fraud,” he said.
He said that he neither met Emefiele nor gave him any money as far as the $6.2 million transaction was concerned, adding that, “I did not receive any instructions from him; all instructions I received were from Eric Ocheme.”
He further told the court that he did not see Emefiele’s approval before the money was withdrawn until he met with the special investigator.
According to the PW11, he was inadvertently involved in the withdrawal of the money as he was sure that the payment was genuine “because I know that the CBN has rigorous processes for payments”.
He said he was suspicious when he, his friend and one other were given 2.5 million dollars out of the money, adding that he never officially reported the “gift” to the apex bank.
He said that he had refunded large part of the 2.5 million dollars given to him through the special investigator.
Justice Muazu after listening to his testimony adjourned further hearing until Friday.
(NAN)
