In a court hearing at the Special Offences Court in Lagos on Friday, a dispatch rider named Monday Osazuwa recounted how the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, instructed him on multiple occasions to collect a total of $3 million cash in installments.
Osazuwa, who previously worked at Zenith Bank before joining the CBN in 2014, described Emefiele as his former boss at Zenith Bank, where he later became a contract staff member.
He testified that while at the CBN, he was appointed as a senior supervisor responsible for recording and filing documents in the Governor’s office in Lagos.
According to Osazuwa, Emefiele instructed him via phone calls, WhatsApp, and email to collect envelopes containing cash from individuals and deliver them to him.
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He mentioned that on some occasions, when Emefiele was not available, he was instructed to hand over the money to Henry Omoile, the co-defendant.
The witness specified that he had collected varying amounts of cash, with the highest being $1 million, from different sources.
He testified that the money collected was taken to Emefiele’s residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, and handed over to Omoile if Emefiele was absent.
Osazuwa clarified that he did not keep records of these transactions as instructed by Emefiele, emphasizing that he received no compensation for his actions.
During cross-examination by the defense counsel, Osazuwa confirmed his long-standing association with Emefiele since 2002.
The court had earlier granted Emefiele bail in the sum of N50 million, with stringent conditions for two sureties.
The case was adjourned to April 29, 2024, for trial and further proceedings.
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