Emefiele’s Former Aide Testifies on $400,000 Transaction in Court

Nov 28, 2024

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By: Bayero Ade

John Adetola, a former personal assistant to ex-Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, testified in court on Thursday, revealing that he collected $400,000 on behalf of his former boss.

Adetola, appearing as the seventh prosecution witness in the trial before the Ikeja Special Offences Court, detailed how he retrieved the funds in 2018 from John Ayoh, the former director of the ICT department at the CBN, and delivered them directly to Mr. Emefiele.

The case against Emefiele involves allegations of abuse of office and financial misconduct, including the mismanagement of $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion. He is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside co-defendant Henry Omoile, who faces charges related to unlawful acceptance of gifts.

During his testimony, Adetola, represented by counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), stated that his role as personal assistant gave him direct access to Emefiele and involved managing correspondence and visitors. He also recounted being invited by the EFCC in February 2023 to provide information about his interactions with the former governor.

Adetola disclosed, “In 2018, Mr. Eric Odoh, the personal assistant to the governor in Abuja, instructed me to meet Mr. Ayoh in Lekki to collect $400,000 for the governor. I collected the envelope from Mr. Ayoh and delivered it to the governor at the office.”

The witness also identified key individuals connected to Emefiele, including his younger brothers, George and Okanta, and his wife, Margaret. He confirmed that the co-defendant, Mr. Omoile, resided at Emefiele’s Lagos residence.

Bundles of documents detailing communication between Adetola, Emefiele, and other officials, including Mr. Ayoh and Mr. Odoh, were presented in court. While Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), did not object to the documents being tendered for identification, Mr. Omoile’s counsel, Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN), opposed their admission, arguing they lacked legal basis unless tendered as exhibits.

Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the documents for identification purposes and adjourned the case until December 10 for cross-examination of the witness.