Afrigather On the resumed listening to of the case in opposition to former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele at Lagos Excessive Courtroom, presided over by Justice ABDULRAHMAN Oshodi, the EFCC offered Mrs Ifeoma Ogbonnaya, a graduate of Archeology and Tourism and an account officer at Zenith Financial institution.
The witness was requested by Olalekan Ojo (SAN), the counsel to the defendant, if the financial institution, in compliance with regulatory necessities, obtained the paperwork and/or board decision designating Mrs Emefiele as a helpful proprietor of the accounts of Limelight, Comec, and Answin restricted.
She confirmed that Zenith Financial institution didn’t receive any paperwork designating Mrs Emefiele as a helpful proprietor of the accounts in query.
The witness was additional requested if Mrs Emefiele was named within the account opening mandate, to signal banking directions on the accounts that represent the subject material of this cost.
She responded {that a} lady recognized as Madam Augustina was the signatory and NOT Mrs Emefiele. When requested if Buyer directions to honour transactions on an account ought to usually be in writing, she responded with a affirmation that they’re all the time in writing.
Following the earlier questions, she was requested to verify that the directions the banks should honour are these given by the account holder and none different and if Zenith Financial institution follows laid down banking rules in honouring directions from its prospects, her response was sure.
She was given the account opening package deal of Limelight Restricted starting from pages 3 to 48 to verify the signatories of the corporate, and he or she confirmed that the signatories are Stephen Ogwa and Patricia Esan.
Out of curiosity, the counsel to the defendant inquired who the shareholders of Limelight Restricted are within the Company Affairs Fee paperwork, to which she responded, stating that Omoile Augustina Onuwa Oriekose Augustina and Ibrahim Taofeek are the shareholders.
The witness, Ifeoma Ogbonnaya revealed that from what she learn, Margaret Emefiele shouldn’t be a director, neither is Godwin Emefiele a shareholder or a Director of Limelight Restricted.
As regards the second firm generally known as Andswin Restricted, she was given the account mandate of the corporate on pages 69 to 74 of exhibit A and was requested to state the names of the signatories to the account. She replied saying that the only signatory was Tina Oroekose.
Ifeoma confirmed that Mrs Emefiele shouldn’t be a Shareholder, neither is she a Director of the corporate.
The witness was proven the account opening paperwork to verify the images of the signatories and her affirmation revealed that not one of the images present these of Mrs Emefiele and Mr Godwin Emefiele.
The witness was additional requested if she ever attended any board and/or Administration conferences of those firms, in her response, she mentioned NO.
She was requested if she was the controlling shareholder of Limelight Restricted, and he or she mentioned no, however Oriekose Augustina is.
For Comec Restricted, she confirmed that the controlling shareholder is Olotu Augustina. Having seemed by way of Exhibit A.
She confirmed that no doc exhibits the names of Margaret Emefiele and Godwin Emefiele as both shareholders/Administrators of account signatories to the accounts of the Firms.
Ifeoma revealed that there she had no inkling that the account documentation had been altered and Godwin Emefiele didn’t authorise any transactions within the accounts. She acknowledged that she didn’t come throughout any paperwork exhibiting that the shares of any of the three firms have been being held in belief for Margaret Emefiele and/or Godwin Emefiele.
The witness was proven Pages 96 to 101 of Exhibit A, with a request to verify that there have been credit score inflows into Andswin restricted of N13.504m, of which she confirmed that the narration didn’t present the cash got here from CBN, neither did a N16million naira alongside one other N14 million naira come from the CBN.
She confirmed that she recalled making statements earlier than officers of EFCC, particularly mentioning that she made 3 or 4 statements. Along with this, she additionally confirmed that she made the statements when the details have been contemporary in her reminiscence, whereas additionally telling the courtroom that she couldn’t recollect if the cellphone quantity she dictated to the courtroom was the identical because the one she put down in her assertion.
Lekan Ojo, SAN requested the witness to verify that the statements proven to her have been hers and he or she confirmed, saying sure, as she added that Godwin Emefiele was not in any method a beneficiary to any of the funds within the financial institution statements of the businesses underneath query.
