The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday detailed bank records and internal Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) memoranda allegedly linking $2.045 million and several property transactions to Godwin Emefiele,a former Governor of the CBN,.
Testifying before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, David Jaiyeoba, 12th prosecution witness,an EFCC operative, told the court that the commission’s investigation relied on approvals, bank statements and internal documents obtained from the CBN and Zenith Bank.
Led in evidence by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Prosecution Counsel and Director of Public Prosecutions, the witness identified several internal CBN memoranda approving payments for renovation, landscaping, power supply and furnishing of the former governor’s official residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Among the documents tendered was Exhibit A1, an internal memorandum approving payments to Architeco Nigeria Limited for renovation works at the residence.
Exhibit A2, a contract document for landscaping works at the Ikoyi residence by the same company, was also admitted, with the witness stating that the approvals were granted by the defendant.
Jaiyeoba further identified Exhibit A5, an internal memo requesting approval to pay N97,998,416.38 to Architeco Nigeria Limited for the supply of office furniture to the bank, which he said bore Emefiele’s approval.
Another document, Exhibit A8, was described as an internal memorandum relating to a contract for the provision of dedicated power lines to the Ikoyi residence, supported by an interim certificate and approved by the defendant.
The witness told the court that as part of the investigation, the EFCC wrote to Zenith Bank to trace Emefiele’s account, identifying Exhibits ED1, ED2 and ED3 as responses received from the bank.
According to him, a debit entry dated January 13, 2015, on account number 2020000064 showed a payment of N4 million to Architeco Nigeria Limited.
Jaiyeoba further testified that investigations led to the recovery of $2.045 million, as well as several properties and title documents, from the headquarters of Zenith Bank Plc in Lagos.
“My Lord, the funds amounting to $2,045,000, alongside several properties and title documents, were recovered from Zenith Bank Plc headquarters in Lagos in the possession of one Mr Collins Omeke, a lawyer to the defendant,” he said.
He added that Omeke disclosed during investigation that he had been acquiring and perfecting title documents for properties on the instruction of the defendant, and that the acquisitions were funded with cash payments in United States dollars allegedly provided by Emefiele.
The witness further stated that Omeke said the cash found in his possession was sent to him by one Eric Ocheme Udoh for the defendant, adding that part of the funds had been used for the renovation of some of Emefiele’s assets.
At the close of the testimony, the prosecution applied for an adjournment to March 5, 16 and 17, 2026, for continuation of trial.
While defence counsel, Matthew Burkaa, SAN, did not oppose the application, he cautioned against what he described as repeated evidence, noting that an earlier witness had already identified similar approvals.
In his remarks, the trial judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, said he would allow the prosecution to proceed but expressed concern that it appeared overly cautious. He subsequently adjourned the matter to March 5, 16 and 17, 2026.
Emefiele, who served as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria between 2014 and 2023, is standing trial on a 20-count charge bordering on alleged procurement fraud totalling about N1.2 billion.
