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CBN official tells court how he collected over $3m in cash for Emefiele

Monday Osazuwa, an official of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has testified against Godwin Emefiele, a former governor of the apex bank, in the ongoing trial over alleged abuse of office.
Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are currently facing trial on a 26-count charge at the high court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
The duo pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
At the court proceedings on Friday, Emefiele and Omole were granted bail by the court.
THE TESTIMONY
During the hearing, Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), called Osazuwa as the prosecution’s first witness in the case.
Osazuwa said he currently works with the apex bank as a senior supervisor.
The CBN official told the court that he met Emefiele while working as a dispatch rider for the Victoria Island branch of Zenith Bank in Lagos.
The witness said Emefiele was the deputy managing director of Zenith Bank when he started working with him.
Osazuwa added that he was running errands for the former CBN governor during the period at Zenith Bank.
The witness told the court that he joined CBN as a contract worker in 2014 and was confirmed as an employee in 2015.
Osazuwa said he was employed when Emefiele was the CBN governor and was posted to his office in Lagos.
“He (Emefiele) usually communicates with me through Whatsapp. I see him when he comes to Lagos,” the witness said.
“My role as a senior supervisor is recording and filing. The other assignment, he (Emefiele) gives me, is to carry out certain messages and errands for him.”
The CBN official said he used to receive dollars in cash from some individuals for Emefiele and take the same to his Ikoyi residence.
The witness said whenever Emefiele was not in Lagos, he used to give the money to the second defendant — Omoile — at the former CBN governor’s residence in Ikoyi.
Osazuwa said Emefiele ordered him to call one Moeit every Friday to ask if there was anything for him.
He added that Moeit always directed him to meet one Raja Punjab, who always gave him dollars in cash to give to Emefiele.
“In 2020, he (Emefiele) called me while he was outside Lagos. He said he will give me a number to call a man who will give me something,” Osazuwa said.
“I called the man — Mr Moeit. He said he will give me his boy’s number. The name of the guy is Mr Raja.
“I called Mr Raja. He gave me his address. When I went to see him, I got to the place and sat down for a few minutes.
“He gave me an envelope. He brought it out and counted it. It was $100,000. He said I should give it to my boss (Emefiele).
“My boss was not around. He (Emefiele) said I should give it to Henry (second defendant).”
The witness also told the court that he was collecting dollars in cash from Punjab from 2020 to 2023.
Osazuwa said $1 million cash was the highest amount of money he collected from Punjab for Emefiele.
“$1 million was the highest amount in cash. I have also collected $850,000, $750,000, and $400,000,” he told the court.
WHO IS RAJA PUNJAB?
Raja Punjab is one of the witnesses listed by EFCC for the prosecution of Emefiele.
The identity of Punjab is currently unknown as the anti-graft agency did not disclose any detail about him apart from his name.
In the charge sheet, Emefiele’s co-defendant was accused of accepting $110,000 on behalf of the former CBN governor.
The money was said to be a “reward for allocating foreign exchange by the Central Bank in favour of Raja Punjab’s employer”.
The anti-graft agency accused Emefiele of collecting $17.3 million from Punjab on account of forex allocation to his employer.
EFCC did not mention the name of Punjab’s employer in the charge sheet.
THE ADJOURNMENT
Earlier, the court accepted the application of EFCC that the testimony of eight witnesses be heard in closed session.
The EFCC counsel told the court that some of the agency’s witnesses are scared to testify in the case because they are being threatened.
Rahmon Oshodi, the presiding judge, adjourned the case to April 29 for continuation of trial.
News
Afe Babalola to withdraw defamation suit against Farotimi

Afe Babalola, the senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says he will withdraw the defamation suit filed against Dele Farotimi, a human rights advocate.
In December, Farotimi was arrested in Lagos and whisked to Ekiti.
Farotimi was remanded by the Ekiti state magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti for 21 days after he was accused of “criminally defaming” Babalola in a book titled: ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.
He regained freedom on December 24, after being granted bail of N30 million by the court.
NAN reports that Babalola, who spoke at the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) following the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other first class traditional rulers at a midnight meeting, said he has agreed to withdraw the case.
He said he had received several letters as well as calls on the issue from eminent Nigerians, including from ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo and Matthew Kukah, the bishop of Sokoto diocese.
Babalola said he acquiesced to the traditional rulers’ entreaties because he has nothing to gain from Farotimi’s imprisonment.
The senior advocate assured the chiefs that he would direct his lawyers to withdraw the case.
Ogunwusi said Yoruba leaders and the traditional institution have been following the development keenly.
The monarch added that he and others resolved to intervene so that Babalola “can pardon his son, Farotimi”.
The Ooni of Ife also lauded Babalola for his integrity and urged him to remain steadfast.
News
Wike makes U-turn on state police creation, says governors would abuse powers

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says Nigeria does not have the institutional capacity for state policing.
The creation of state police has been on the front burner for years now, with many governors advocating for its implementation to enhance security within their domains.
Last year, Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna, announced that all 36 state governments had submitted their reports backing the creation of state police.
He said state policing would serve as a crucial step towards improving security across the country.
Speaking during a media chat on Sunday, Wike said the adoption of state or community policing would birth autocratic governors in several states.
“In Nigeria, what system do we run? Is Abuja different from Nigeria when you talk about the police? People have been recommending community policing and state police,” he said.
“Knowing where we are, and where we are from, if you allow that, so many people would not come out of their houses. So, I said let’s try it first and see how it works.
“But so many people said there’s no need to try, that we have seen that if they allow state policing today, nobody would oppose any state governor. It is either you would die for murder or for armed robbery. Our institutions are not such that are independent.”
The former governor said his previous support for state police does not necessarily mean it is still the right decision today.
“The mere fact that I supported state police [when I was governor], if I was wrong, I was wrong. If I was right, I was right,” he said.
“What we are saying is that our institutions are not strong to be independent of manipulation by the system.”
During his first term as governor, Wike assented to a bill establishing the neighbourhood safety corps.
Some of the functions of the corps included the detection of crime, arrest of offenders with or without a warrant, and bearing arms in the performance of their duties, among others.
News
EFCC confirms killing of officer in Anambra, says personnel were on legitimate duty

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the killing of Aminu Salisu, an assistant superintendent officer (ASO), in Anambra.
Salisu was allegedly killed by Joshua Ikechukwu, a suspected internet fraudster, during an arrest operation in Anambra on Friday.
In a statement on Sunday, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, said the late officer was killed while discharging a legitimate duty.
Oyewale said the suspect, who spotted investigators via closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras mounted at his doorstep, refused to open his door despite their “polite request for entrance.”
“Aminu Sahabi Salisu, assistant superintendent of the EFCC, alongside other investigators of the EFCC, were at Dr. J.O. Ukwutinife Close, Ifite, Awka, Anambra State, to arrest some suspected internet fraudsters in the early hours of January 17,” the statement said.
“The operation was duly documented at the Anambra state command headquarters and area command of the Nigeria Police in line with operational protocols.
“The operation was initially smooth sailing with 37 suspected internet fraudsters already arrested at a two-storey building housing Ikechukwu and other occupants of the house.
“However, Joshua Ikechukwu, who sighted the investigators through a CCTV camera mounted at his doorpost and who also confessed sighting them, declined to open his door for the investigators, who politely demanded entrance to his apartment.
“Defying all the introduction and physical sighting of the investigators, he resorted to firing shots at them and killed Salisu in the process and wounded another officer detailed to conduct a search in his apartment.”
The EFCC spokesperson said preliminary investigations showed that Ikechukwu was involved in coding and online medical supplies of doubtful legitimacy.
He said two laptops, iPads, and several recording devices were recovered from his apartment, adding that though currently in police custody, the commission would bring him to trial.
Oyewale said the commission “viewed with concern irresponsible narratives on the fatal accident and faceless commentators supporting an alleged criminal”.
He added that the anti-graft agency also commiserated with the family of the slain officer and appreciated support from sister agencies and well-meaning individuals.
“It is heinous to reduce the death of a gallant officer who was carrying out patriotic and official duties to social media razzmatazz,” he said.
“More worrisome is the fact that some faceless commentators are pitching their tents with an alleged criminal who unleashed terror on officers of the EFCC in their line of duty.
“There is no justification whatsoever to rationalise a murderous act. The milk of human kindness demands that a grieving family, commission, and nation should be spared the shenanigans of false narratives and conjectures on the death of the slain officer.
“The EFCC also wishes to alert the public that the activities of internet fraudsters are becoming patently hazardous to public safety and security.
“Intelligence has shown that these criminals are carrying arms and are involved in kidnapping, banditry, ritual killings, and other deadly acts.
“The public should not fold its arms or allow itself to be deceived that they are mere ‘Yahoo boys and girls”.
“As for the EFCC, every subsequent attack on any of its officers will be met with the force of the law. The Commission will not fold its arms and allow any of its officers to be killed again in cold blood.
“As a law enforcement agency of repute, the EFCC is unrelenting in ridding the nation of internet fraud and other acts of corruption.
“While mourning the loss of its officer who paid the supreme price in the service of the nation, the Commission appreciates the invaluable support, condolences, and prompt response of sister agencies and well-meaning individuals standing shoulder to shoulder with it at this trying time.”