An Assistant Manager with Zenith Bank Plc, Mrs Ifeoma Ogbonnaya, has testified in court that Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and his wife Margaret were not signatories to the accounts alleged to have been owned by them.
Emefiele is facing trial over abuse of office and alleged $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud.
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Ogbonnaya, while being cross-examined by Emefiele’s Counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), revealed that the signatories to the company’s accounts are Mrs Bruce Olotu Augustina, Omoile Augustina Oriekose Agustina, and Ibrahim Oluwadamilare Taofeek. She also stated that the companies have no list of directors.
“One Mrs Augustina is the signatory to the accounts, but I still maintain that Mrs Margaret Emefiele gave me instructions through phone calls, WhatsApp chats, and my official email,” Ogbonnaya said. “I saved Mrs Emefiele’s number as ‘margo’ on my phone, and she has several numbers, but I can only remember her foreign number, +447941835451.”
The witness further testified that instructions to banks are not oral but in writing, and before she came to court, she had the opportunity to review the account opening of the three companies.
She reiterated that Emefiele’s name and his wife’s did not appear as shareholders or signatories to the corporate accounts of the companies.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Emefiele on April 8 on 23 counts bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage.
His co-defendant, Henry Omoile-Isioma, was arraigned on three counts bordering on acceptance of a gift by agents. The defendants pleaded not guilty. Justice Rahman Oshodi adjourned the case until October 28 for continuation of trial.
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