‌Emefiele Not Signatory to N124.86bn Withdrawal From FG Account — Witness

A witness, Dr Ali Mohammed, has told the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, was not a signatory to the withdrawal of N124.86 billion from the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Account.

 

Mohammed, a Director of Home Finance at the Federal Ministry of Finance, made the disclosure while testifying in Emefiele’s trial on Wednesday.

 

Under cross-examination by Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, the witness also said neither the Minister of Finance nor the Accountant-General of the Federation queried the CBN over the withdrawal.

 

He told the court that the N124.86 billion was not traced to Emefiele’s account and that the former CBN governor was not a signatory to the Federal Government’s Consolidated Revenue Account.

 

“I was invited by EFCC in respect of the withdrawal of the N124.86 billion, but was neither interrogated on the circumstances that led to the withdrawal nor made any statement in respect of the same during my visit to the commission,” Mohammed said.

 

He added that EFCC operatives did not show him any document linking Emefiele to the withdrawal.

 

“Of the three letters that emanated from the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General, none of the letters suggested the name of Emefiele as a signatory to the consolidated revenue account.”

 

The witness further said the Ministry of Finance did not write to the CBN under Emefiele requesting the withdrawal, despite an earlier advice by the Accountant-General of the Federation.

 

He also said the letters did not indicate that Emefiele authorised the debiting of the funds from the Federal Government account.

 

Mohammed said he was unaware of the public transactions that led to the withdrawal or that the funds were meant for Hajj pilgrimage subsidy.

 

According to him, after receiving a letter from a special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to investigate the CBN under Emefiele, he summoned an emergency meeting with the heads of three divisions under the Home Finance Unit.

 

He said the division heads denied knowledge of the alleged withdrawal, prompting him to write to the Accountant-General of the Federation through the ministry’s Permanent Secretary for clarification.

 

Mohammed said the Accountant-General’s office also denied knowledge of the transaction and concluded that the withdrawal must have been carried out by the CBN.

 

The witness subsequently tendered correspondence from the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, which were admitted as exhibits without objection from Emefiele’s counsel.

 

Emefiele is facing a four-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), bordering on disobedience to lawful direction and an illegal act causing injury to the public.

 

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

 

After the cross-examination, prosecution counsel Abbas Mohammed asked the court to discharge the witness and adjourn the matter.

 

Justice Maryanne Anenih adjourned the case until November 26 for continuation of trial.