Emefiele not signatory to firms’ accounts in CBN contract fraud case — Witness

ABUJA — An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday told the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court in Abuja that former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, was not a signatory to the bank accounts of two companies allegedly used to obtain contracts from the apex bank.

The investigator, Mr. David Jaiyeoba, who appeared as the 12th prosecution witness in the ongoing trial, made the disclosure during cross-examination by Emefiele’s counsel, Mr. Matthew Burkaa, SAN.

Jaiyeoba told the court that the former CBN governor was neither a signatory nor directly linked to the accounts of April 1616 Nigeria Limited, one of the firms accused of benefiting from the contracts.

“My evidence never mentioned April 1616; however, the defendant is not a signatory to the account of April 1616. I cannot remember if he is a director or shareholder,” the witness said.

He further stated that Emefiele was neither a signatory, director nor shareholder in another company, Architekon Nigeria Limited, which was also linked to the alleged contract deals.

The EFCC is prosecuting Emefiele on an amended charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, obtaining by false pretence, procurement fraud and conspiracy.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the former CBN governor conferred corrupt advantages on two firms — April 1616 Nigeria Limited and Architekon Nigeria Limited — in the award of contracts by the apex bank.

According to the prosecution, April 1616 Nigeria Limited allegedly belonged to Ms. Sa’adatu Ramalan-Yaro, said to be an associate of Emefiele and a staff of the CBN.

A former Head of Procurement Department at the CBN, Mr. Salawu Gana, had earlier testified that information about bidding for CBN contracts was leaked to Ramalan-Yaro and the company.

Gana, who testified in February 2025 as the 10th prosecution witness, told the court that the alleged irregularities occurred between 2018 and 2020 when Emefiele was serving as governor of the apex bank.

Ramalan-Yaro was initially arraigned alongside Emefiele as a co-defendant in the matter. However, following an amendment to the charge in 2024, she was discharged from the trial, while the number of counts against Emefiele was reduced.

During Monday’s proceedings, the EFCC investigator also told the court that he did not personally interview the defendant during the course of the investigation.

According to him, other members of the investigation team conducted the interview with Emefiele.
He explained that the team was divided during the probe, with some members operating from Lagos while others worked from Abuja.

“The Abuja team interacted with the officials because of proximity and distance,” Jaiyeoba said.

He added that the EFCC’s findings were largely based on documents obtained during the investigation as well as statements made by suspects arrested in connection with the case.

The witness also admitted that he did not visit the residence of the former CBN governor or the renovation site allegedly linked to Architekon Nigeria Limited.

He further told the court that he did not visit any of the project locations connected with the case.
Consequently, he said the commission relied on statements made by the director of the company regarding the alleged renovation work.

Jaiyeoba also confirmed that he was aware of a committee within the CBN responsible for vetting and handling the bidding process for contracts but could not recall its name.

He said he did not personally interview officials of the committee.

“My team did, but personally I was not part of that interview because the team had to be divided,” he said.

When asked whether Emefiele was a member of the Major Contract Tender Committee that handled the procurement process at the CBN, the witness replied: “I cannot remember.”

At that point, Burkaa questioned the witness’ understanding of the procurement process at the apex bank.

However, Jaiyeoba insisted that he understood the process, though he admitted he could not say who in the CBN was responsible for confirming whether a company qualified for a contract.

“I am not a staff member, so I would not know,” he said.

During the proceedings, the defence also confronted the witness with a judgment of the Court of Appeal which set aside an earlier forfeiture order on some properties allegedly linked to Emefiele.

The witness told the court he was seeing the judgment for the first time but acknowledged that the EFCC was bound by the decision of the appellate court.

The properties earlier listed in the proceedings include a detached duplex at No. 17B Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; a bungalow and an undeveloped plot measuring 1,919.592 square metres on Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi; and a four-bedroom duplex at 12A Probyn Road, Ikoyi.

Others include an industrial complex under construction on 22 plots of land in Agbor, Delta State; eight units of undetached apartments on Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi; and another detached duplex on Bank Road, Ikoyi.

The witness had earlier testified that a lawyer linked to Emefiele was arrested with more than $2 million in cash. However, under cross-examination, he confirmed that the former CBN governor did not claim ownership of the money.

During the proceedings, the defence also questioned the timeline of the investigation.

Burkaa noted that the EFCC filed charges against Emefiele on August 14, 2023, whereas the extrajudicial statements obtained from the defendant were taken between October 26 and November 2, 2023.

He asked the witness whether the commission was still investigating the case after filing the charges.
“I am not aware of those dates,” Jaiyeoba replied.

The witness also admitted that the defendant was not confronted with the statement of another suspect, Mr. Nwike, to obtain his reaction.

Earlier, the witness had told the court that the investigation was triggered by a report forwarded to the EFCC by an inter-agency task force headed by the State Security Service, SSS.

Following a request by the defence for the report to be produced in court, the prosecution counsel, Mr. A. O. Mohammed, raised no objection.

Justice Hamza Muazu subsequently adjourned the matter until Tuesday for continuation of hearing.

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