Witness alleges that Emefiele instructed him not to acknowledge over $3m

A Lagos court has heard allegations that Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), instructed his former dispatch rider not to keep formal records of over $3 million received on his behalf.

This was revealed by Monday Osasuwa, the first prosecution witness, during his testimony on Monday at the Ikeja Special Offences Court.

Under examination by Olalekan Ojo (SAN), Emefiele’s counsel, Osasuwa explained that as a former dispatch rider and later a senior supervisor at the CBN, he had been tasked with collecting cash in tranches amounting to $3 million on multiple occasions. He stated that he was instructed by Emefiele not to document these transactions.

“He advised me not to write anything down for all the money I was bringing to him,” Osasuwa told the court, adding, “I did not produce any document because my boss told me not to produce any records. I will only obey my boss.”

When questioned further by Ojo about his responsibilities, Osasuwa clarified that while he did not have a direct supervisor, he took orders from Emefiele’s secretary at the CBN. Despite his official role, he indicated that he was expected to run personal errands for Emefiele, including handling large sums of cash.

Osasuwa also revealed that he is facing possible charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) related to money laundering due to his involvement in transporting the funds. “I have been carrying some dollars for him, so the EFCC tagged it money laundering. It was based on the messages my boss sent me,” he said.

The witness further testified that on occasions when Emefiele was unavailable, he was directed to hand over the cash to the second defendant in the case.

Justice Rahman Oshodi had granted an application by Ojo to recall Osasuwa for additional questioning, leading to Monday’s revelations. The trial continues as the court examines the allegations surrounding Emefiele’s tenure at Nigeria’s apex bank.