Emefiele: Court grants application to recall prosecution witness

The Ikeja Special Offences Court on Friday granted the request of the defence to recall the first prosecution witness in the trial of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Emefiele is standing trial over abuse of office and alleged $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud while in office.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that when the case was called, the counsel to Emefiele’s co-defendant, Mr Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN), notified the court of a motion on notice dated May 6.

Gbadamosi subsequently sought the indulgence of the court to recall the first prosecution witness, Mr Monday Osazuwa.

NAN reports that Osazuwa had on April 12 testified how the embattled governor, on different occasions, allegedly directed him to collect three million dollars cash in tranches on his behalf.

Justice Rahman Oshodi granted the application of Gbadamosi to recall the witness, following no objections from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

He said: “In the motion on notice dated May 6 and filed on May 7, the second defence counsel seeks an order to recall the first prosecution witness (PW1).

“The second defence counsel seeks to further cross-examine PWI on matters listed in paragraph four D on the affidavit in support of the application.

“The recall was also premised on nine grounds and the six paragraph affidavits filed in support of the application filed on May 7.

“The prosecution did not not file a rebuttal and I hereby grant the application.”

The EFCC counsel prayed the court for a leave to further examine fourth prosecution witness, Mr Victor Onyejiuwa, the Managing Director, The Source Computers Ltd.

Onyejiuwa, a contractor, started his evidence in chief on May 9 and the leave was granted by the court.

The witness said there was an error in his extra judicial statement regarding the location where the $600,000 was given to the second prosecution witness, the apex bank former Director of Information Technology, Mr John Ayoh.

According to him, the sum of $400,000 was given to Ayoh in Lagos while $200,000 was given to him in Abuja.

Under cross-examination by Emefiele’s counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), the witness said he wrote the statement in the presence of his lawyer, Mr Olukayode Enitan (SAN), but he was aware of the error later.

He confirmed to the court that there were only two errors in his statement and that he was released to his lawyer after he wrote the extra judicial statement.

“Apart from the two errors, there are no other errors in my statement but there are omissions because I wrote 2014 to 2018 instead of 2014 to 2020.

“As a businessman of over 20 years of experience, I know I have a civic duty not to give bribe to anybody.

“I know that I have a duty to report anyone that offers bride but I did not report because I was under serious pressure from my partners to pay them.

“I was paid the money in December 2018 and upon receiving the money, my partners stopped putting pressure on me.

“Although between 2018 and 2024 when the pressure had gone, I did not report the issue of bribe to the EFCC and my primary reason for being here is not for the recovery of my money,” he said.

The witness further informed the court that his partners were not stakeholders in his company but were Original Equipment Manufacturers.

He also confirmed that he did not write in his extra judicial statement that his partners pressurised him but he said it in his evidence in chief.

NAN also reports that the judge granted interim bail to Emefiele and his co-defendant after his counsel prayed the court for ample time to perfect the bail conditions.

The EFCC had on April 8 arraigned Emefiele on 23 counts bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained and conferring corrupt advantage.

Also, his co-defendant Henry Omoile-Isioma, was arraigned on three counts bordering on acceptance of gift by agents.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty.

The judge adjourned the case until July 9 for continuation of trial.