Di former Secretary to di goment of di Federation of Nigeria Boss Mustapha say im no know anytin about how di kontri former Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) Godwin Emefiele approve di payment of $6,230,000 for international election observers during di 2023 general election.
Di SGF say all di time wey im spend under President Muhammadu Buhari, e no ever come across di documents wey request for dat money.
Dis na as one branch controller of CBN Ogau Michael bin tok on Monday say Emefiele bin approve $6,230,000 for international election observers during di 2023 general election.
Dis bin dey revealed during di trial of di former CBN govnor wen e appear before Justice Hamza Muazu of di High Court for Abuja on Monday.
Ogau na one of di witnesses wey di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prepare to testify for di trial of Emefiele wey dey stand trial on top a 20-count charges wey dem don amend
Di bank controller bin tell di court say na im work ontop di documents wey Emefiele bin use request for payment of of di sum of $6,230,000 in cash and na January 8 2023 dem bring di document come im office.
Di witness add say na im office assistant bin draw im attention to di document sake of say di document tok say make dem pay di money to one staff for di office of di Secretary to di goment of di Federation (SGF).
“All requests for payments na to di branch controller and dat na my office and dat day di request to my office na $6,230,000. Na from banking services department wit signature of di Director of Banking Services wit an instruction to pay di sum of $6,230,000 to a staff of di Secretary to di goment of di Federation and e carry di name and identity card of di pesin”, im testify.
“E dey stated say di payment na for election observance and make e dey paid in cash. Di document also state say, ‘find attached di approval of di govnor of di Central Bank of Nigeria for di payment’.”
Di witness tok say di memo get di approval of di former SGF and dat of di President of Nigeria wey dey in power dat time and na wetin make am process di payment of di money on 8 April 2023 in cash.
But wen Mustapha appear for court on Tuesday to say im own side of di allegations, e say di signature wey dey di document na attempt to fake di signature of Buhari.
Im say di federal goment no get any hand for dat kain payment to international election observers and executive decisions no be through letters.
“All through my service year as di SGF, I neva come across dis documents wey dem claim say na Buhari sign am. From wetin I dey look for face as I serve for five years and seven months as SGF, dis document no come from di president.”
“Any letter correspondence wey carry di seal of di Nigerian president no dey carry reference number becos say di seal na di authority,” Mustapha tok.
Di charges against Emefiele according to EFCC border on ‘forgery, corrupt advantages, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust, and obtaining by false pretences’.
Emefiele palava start wit President Bola Tinubu suspending am as di CBN govnor for June 9, 2023. Afta dat, di Department of State Services (DSS) confam say e dey dia custody.
Di judge adjourn di mata till March 7, 11, and 25 for continuation of trial.