News
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.
Lagos State Government has issued a 48 hours ultimatum to illegal squatters at abandoned Ikoyi Towers, Lagos Island to evacuate.
The State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, gave the notice on Saturday, during an inspection of some identified sites, including the abandoned Federal Government property, Ikoyi Towers.
The Ikoyi Towers, located behind the abandoned Federal Secretariat, Ikoyi, comprise of three blocks of 12 floors, tagged: A, B and C.
Wahab said the quit notice has become necessary to protect lives which is the primary function of any responsible and responsive government.
According to him, “Apart from constituting an environmental nuisance, they are security risk to the state which can be used as hideouts for criminal elements to perpetrate their nefarious acts.
“Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu is passionate about the well-being and safety of all citizens and would spare nothing to ensure these ate achieved.”
The occupants of the building, who are largely security personnel, appealed to the commissioner to give more time inorder to make proper arrangement for relocation as they have no place to go immediately.
One of the occupants, who simply identified himself as Mallam Abubakar, from Ilorin, Kwara State, said he is a Police Spy, and moved into the building in November 2023.
According to Abubakar,”The agent collected N200, 000, one off rent from each of the occupant, numbering hundreds of us.
“We have our families here. Our children are in schools. Where do we go from here? Government should have compassion on us this harsh economy.”
A Nigerian man identified as Israel Joe, has revealed how his friend, Roseline, died after she was pushed into a boiling pot of fresh pepper and tomatoes by her two female friends in Sapele, Delta State.
Joe stated that Roseline, a caterer, went on a trip with her friends to Sapele for a catering job where she tragically passed away on Saturday, April 13.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Joe said that before her untimely death, Roseline confided in him about two of her friends who were treating her coldly.
He urged the Nigeria Police to investigate and arrest the killers of Roseline, pointing out that no progress has been made in the case since her murder.
Joe’s post read, “She was pushed into a big boiling pot of fresh pepper and tomatoes by her friend on Saturday, 13th April. She battled for about two weeks with her roasted/boiled body and finally ḍíęɗ last week Friday 26th April.
“Nobody in the neighborhood in Otokutu knew Roseline had been allegedly kíIIed by these same friends. She was buried with no one to bid her goodbye and with no single bųríaI poster to honour her. Just two days in the morgue, the mørtųarƴ attendants demanded she be carried away to be buried.
“She traveled with them for a catering job in Sapele where they were speaking their local language with this Yoruba girl, Rozzy, not understanding their conversation.
“All of a sudden, she landed in a very big pot of boiling fresh pepper and tomatoes where they even still delayed in rescuing her. She was later rushed to Sage Hospital by Estate in Warri, where they managed the situation, but my friend couldn’t make it.”
Joe said he was pained that those responsible for her death were still walking free.
He added, “What pains me is that these two girls are still walking and gallivanting everywhere like nothing happened. I hate intimidation and oppression, especially against non-indigenous persons. The police must smoke them out so they can face the law. Na God dey help who nor get helper.
E“We shall fight for Rozzy. You can not just be kíIIęɗ like a chicken and bųřried like an aŋímąl. Nobody deserves such a hørribIe dęąth. We never got to meet Rose, only chatting on Facebook due to endless busy schedules only to see you, at the most disgusting sight at Sage Hospital, hoping for your recovery, but dęąțĥ stole you Justice shall prevail, including if you would be exhumed.”
Naziru Idris Yau, a journalist with Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), has been hit by a stray bullet inside the government house in Kano state.
TheCable understands that the incident occurred around 6:30pm on Friday during an event to mark the World Press Freedom Day.
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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.
She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others
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