In a significant development in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, a key prosecution witness, Mr John Adetola, has alleged that he personally collected $400,000 on behalf of his former boss.
Adetola, who served as Emefiele’s Executive Assistant, testified in court on Thursday, recounting how he received the sum from John Ayoh, the former Director of the CBN’s ICT Department.
Adetola summoned him to collect the money from Ayoh in Lagos and later handed it over to Emefiele in person.
“My office duties involved managing office correspondences, attending to visitors, and handling tasks assigned by the former CBN Governor, which gave me direct access to him,” Adetola told the court.
He described how, in 2018, Emefiele’s personal assistant, Mr. Eric Odoh, contacted him via WhatsApp to pick up the money.
“I went to the house of John Ayoh at Lekki, Lagos, where he handed me an envelope. I later gave the money to Emefiele in his office,” he said.
Adetola also confirmed his communication with the former CBN Governor, stating he had interacted with Emefiele via various channels, including telephone, email, and in-person discussions.
He also identified several of Emefiele’s family members, including his wife and brothers, as well as his co-defendant, Henry Omoile.
During the trial, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accessed Adetola’s phone, revealing several communications between him and Ayoh, which were later tendered as evidence in court.
The defence team, however, raised objections to the admissibility of the documents, arguing they lacked legal grounds. Despite this, the court allowed the documents to be marked for identification purposes.
Justice Rahman Oshodi adjourned the case until December 10 for the cross-examination of the witness.