Emefiele Moved Funds To Wife Account – Witness

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Tuesday, July 9th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – An Assistant Manager with Zenith Bank Plc, Ifeoma Ogbonnaya, has opened up on how Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, moved funds to his wife, Margaret Emefiele.

Ogbonnaya informed an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday how Emefiele used the bank to send millions of naira to his wife’s account.

It is worth recalling that Emefiele is standing trial for abuse of office and alleged $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud during his time as CBN governor.

Ogbonnaya, the fifth prosecution witness, was led in evidence by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.

According to her, Emefiele made use of Zenith Bank to transfer millions of naira in tranches to his wife using various companies.

Ogbonnaya disclosed that the companies that got the cash flow were Amswing Resources and Solution, Limelight Dimensional Service Ltd., Omec Support Service Ltd., and Mango Farm.

“Limelight manages the facilities of CBN, located at Alakija and all transactions pertaining to power and fixing things that are not working was always done by the vendors,” she said.

Ogbonnaya further disclposed that she has never had any direct dealings with Emefiele, however, she received instructions from his wife to transfer cash from CBN into their private companies with Zenith Bank account.

She also disclosed that aside from Mrs Emefiele she also got instructions from two other people, one John Ogah and one Opeyemi Oludimu, who worked for the Emefieles but is now late.

“Mrs Margaret Emefiele, the ex-CBN governor’s wife, is the direct beneficiary of the accounts.

“The companies sent transfer instructions to my email and Margaret is the beneficial owner of the accounts.

“All transactions made in the accounts were confirmed by Mrs Emefiele before they were processed.

“She sends transfer instructions directly to my official email address with Zenith Bank or sends two other persons to act on her behalf but I still receive approval from her. “On Feb. 22, 2021, there was a cash flow of N43 million from CBN; on July 21, 2022, there was a cash flow of N37.3 million; on Oct. 21, 2022, there was a credit flow of N44.6 million, on May 10, 2023, there was a cash flow of N93.1 million from CBN, among others.” she said.