A forensic document examiner, Bamaiyi Haruna, says that his analysis of some documents used to release $6.2m from the Central Bank of Nigeria in February 2023 showed that the documents were forged.
Haruna, who is an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, stated this at the resumed trial of the immediate-past CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
The EFCC, on June 18, 2023, arraigned Emefiele on amended 20 counts, in which he was accused of impersonating the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to illegally move $6.2m from the CBN vault.
In the charges, the EFCC alleged that on February 8, 2023, Emefiele connived with one Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2m from the CBN, claiming that it was requested by the SGF “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/.
The anti-graft agency also alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled: “RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS,” dated 26 January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.
At the previous hearing, the immediate-past SGF, Boss Mustapha, appeared as a witness to testify against Emefiele.
Mustapha, in his testimony, told the court that neither he nor ex-President Muhammadu Buhari were aware of the $6.2m, adding that Buhari’s signature was forged to move the money out.
Mustapha also told the court that the Federal Government had no business funding foreign election observers.
“In all the correspondence I have received from Buhari, it has never had ‘please accept the assurance of my highest regard’. I am his subordinate, my correspondences do not carry that.
“And lastly, looking at the signature, it is a failed attempt at reproducing Buhari’s signature. I will leave that to the experts,” Mustapha, who was the fourth prosecution witness, told the court.
At the resumed trial on Thursday, the forensic expert, Haruna, who appeared as the sixth prosecution witness, said his analysis of the signatures on the documents used to move out of the $6.2m showed that they were forged.
