Abuja, Nigeria – A prosecution witness on Thursday told the Federal Capital Territory High Court that the sum of $2 million (approximately N3.1 billion) was recovered from the lawyer of Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as part of ongoing investigations into alleged financial crimes involving the ex-CBN governor.
Okay News reports that David Jaiyeoba, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, disclosed during his testimony that the cash was recovered from Collins Omeife, a lawyer linked to Emefiele. Jaiyeoba told the court that during interrogation, Omeife admitted that the money belonged to Emefiele and confirmed that he regularly received funds from Eric Ocheme, who served as Emefiele’s personal assistant.
The witness stated that the funds were subsequently used to acquire various properties and renovate older assets allegedly linked to the former CBN governor. Properties listed during the testimony include detached duplexes in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, a bungalow and undeveloped land in Ikoyi, a four-bedroom duplex in Ikoyi, an industrial complex in Agbor, Delta State, eight units of semi-detached apartments in Ikoyi, and a detached duplex on Bank Road in Ikoyi.
The EFCC had in June 2023 filed a 20-count amended charge against Emefiele, accusing him of multiple offences including criminal breach of trust, forgery, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud, and conspiracy to commit a felony. Prosecutors also alleged that the former CBN governor authorised the fraudulent payment of $6.23 million from the CBN vault in Abuja in 2023, purportedly for expenses related to foreign election observers. This anti-corruption case testimony adds to the body of evidence presented in the ongoing trial of the former central bank governor.
 was recovered from the lawyer of Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, as part of ongoing investigations into alleged financial crimes involving the ex-CBN governor.){kind=link}