A director in Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Finance has told a court in Abuja that former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor Godwin Emefiele was not a signatory to the Federal Government account from which N124.86bn (£60m; $80m) was withdrawn.
Dr Ali Mohammed, Director of Home Finance at the Ministry of Finance, made the disclosure on Wednesday while testifying in Mr Emefiele’s ongoing trial before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama.
Under cross-examination by Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, Mr Mohammed said the N124.86bn withdrawal from the Consolidated Revenue Account was neither traced to the former CBN governor nor linked to any document showing that he authorised the transaction.
He also told Justice Maryanne Anenih that none of three letters exchanged between the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation identified Mr Emefiele as a signatory to the account.
The witness said the Ministry of Finance had not written to the CBN under Mr Emefiele requesting the withdrawal and that the documents before the court did not indicate that the former governor authorised the debit.
‘No one queried withdrawal’
Mr Mohammed further told the court that neither the Minister of Finance nor the Accountant-General of the Federation queried the withdrawal at the time.
He said the ministry only became aware of the transaction after receiving an inquiry from a special investigator appointed to examine the CBN’s activities under Mr Emefiele.
According to him, he subsequently summoned officials from three divisions under his supervision, but they denied having any knowledge of the transaction.
He then wrote to the Accountant-General’s office seeking clarification.
The response, he said, indicated that the Office of the Accountant-General was also unaware of the transaction and concluded that the money had been directly debited by the CBN.
The witness also said he was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the withdrawal but was neither interrogated about the circumstances surrounding it nor shown any document linking Mr Emefiele to the transaction.
He told the court that he was unaware of claims that the money had been used to subsidise the Hajj pilgrimage following an alleged directive by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Emefiele faces four-count charge
Mr Emefiele is being prosecuted by the EFCC on a four-count charge bordering on alleged disobedience to lawful directives and an illegal act causing injury to the public.
The charges include an allegation that, between October 2022 and March 2023, he approved the printing of 375.52 million pieces of redesigned N1,000 notes at a cost of about N11.05bn without the recommendation of the CBN board and the required presidential approval.
Mr Emefiele, who has pleaded not guilty, has denied the allegations.
The latest testimony forms part of the prosecution’s case, and the evidence remains subject to the court’s assessment.
After the cross-examination, prosecution counsel asked that the witness be discharged.
Justice Anenih adjourned the case until 26 November for continuation of the trial.
