Forged documents were used by Godwin Emefiele to release N9 billion ($6.2 million) from the Central Bank of Nigeria, former Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha has disclosed.
Mustapha stated this on Tuesday when he appeared before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, as the fourth prosecution witness in the ongoing fraud trial of the former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on February 8, 2023, Emefiele conspired with an Odoh Ocheme—who is currently at large—to collect $6.2 million from the CBN, with claims that the SGF had requested it through a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref Number SGF.43/L.01/.
On January 26, the EFCC alleged, in a letter titled: “RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS,” that Emefiele forged a document with Ref number SGF.43/L.01/201.
During the testimony led by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Mustapha pointed out that the documents did not originate from the president or his administration during his testimony.
He further denied taking any payment from the aforementioned funds.
“All through my service year as the SGF, I never came across these documents it was claimed that Buhari signed. From the face value of this document, having served for five years and seven months as SGF, this document did not emanate from the president for the following reasons,” Mustapha said.
“A correspondence that has the seal of the Nigerian president does not carry a reference number. The seal is the authority.
“Secondly, I have looked at it and read, that FEC decisions are not transmitted by letters. They are transmitted through extracts after conclusions are adopted.
“Thirdly, I am the custodian of FEC, the president will not refer executives’ conclusions to me.
Boss Mustapha added, “In all the five years and seven months, I have never heard of the terms special appropriation provision referred to. The terms known to me, my lord, are appropriation as provided by the appropriation act normally passed by the national assembly and when the government file drafts it brings supplementary appropriation.
“In all the correspondences I have received from Buhari, it has never had ‘please accept the assurance of my highest regard’. I am his subordinate, my correspondences do not carry that.
And lastly, looking at the signature, it is a failed attempt at reproducing Buhari’s signature. I will leave that to the experts.”
Recall that Emefiele was fired from office early last year by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu upon his assumption of office for financial and other related crimes.
The former CBN boss was recently summoned by the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of a $53 million judgement debt arising from the Paris Club refunds.