A prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), John Adetola, has detailed how he handed over $400,000 to the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Adetola disclosed this while testifying before Justice Rahman Oshodi at the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja.
Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are currently facing trial on 26 charges, including allegations of abuse of office, $4.5 billion fraud, and ₦2.8 billion misappropriation.
During his testimony, Adetola, the seventh prosecution witness and former executive assistant to Emefiele, recounted being summoned from Ekiti, where he is now posted, to give evidence.
“In 2018, though I cannot recall the exact date, Mr. Eric Odoh sent me a WhatsApp message instructing me to collect $400,000 from Mr. John Ayoh and deliver it to the former CBN Governor in Lagos,” Adetola stated.
He explained how he went to Ayoh’s residence in Lekki, Lagos, collected the envelope containing the money, and subsequently delivered it to Emefiele at the CBN office.
As executive assistant to Emefiele, Adetola’s responsibilities included handling office correspondence, managing visitors, and executing tasks assigned by the former CBN Governor.
He joined the Central Bank in 2014 after previously working at Veritas Registrars (formerly Zenith Registrars).
Revealing his familiarity with Emefiele’s close associates, Adetola said, “I know Mr. George and Mr. Okanta, who are his brothers, as well as his wife, Mrs. Margaret Emefiele, and the second defendant, Henry Omoile.”
When asked about his interaction with Ayoh during his tenure, Adetola replied, “Yes, we worked together. Mr. John Ayoh was the former Director of ICT.”
He also shared details of his earlier engagement with the EFCC in February 2023. “I received an invitation to visit their Lagos office, where I was interviewed and made voluntary statements. My phone was reviewed, and I was questioned about some office documents the EFCC retrieved.”
The prosecution sought to tender documents, including WhatsApp communications between Adetola, Emefiele, and others, as exhibits. Defense counsel Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN) opposed the move, but Justice Oshodi dismissed the objection.
The court admitted the documents, including official correspondences between Adetola, Emefiele, and John Ogah, as exhibits.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to December 10 for further hearing.
