A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Richard Agulu, has told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, that he did not take instructions for payment into companies’ accounts directly from former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, in respect of the disputed 753 housing units in Abuja.
Agulu who is third prosecution witness, PW3, made the clarifications on Tuesday during cross-examination by Mathew Burkaa, SAN, lead counsel to Emefiele.
It was during the continuation of Emefiele’s trial on an eight-count charge bordering on unlawful acquisition of mass housing estate containing 753 of housing units and apartments in Abuja.
The former CBN governor was also accused of conspiring with his former Aide, Eric Ocheme, to illegally acquire the property and control billions of Naira.
During the cross-examination, the witness admitted transferring over N5 billion without following due process into the account of two companies, Ifeadigo and Kelvito Investment.
He said due process or banking procedures were not followed because the transfer transactions into the two companies were carried out outside the banking hours.
Agulu further told the court that instruction to carry out the transfers was obtained from one Eric Ocheme, said to be a Personal Assistant to the defendant.
Answering a question, the witness admitted depositing cash into customers accounts and indicating in the narrations that it was done by the account owners.
He admitted that he was not put on trial by EFCC despite circumventing the banking procedures in the cash lodgments he carried
