By John Azu
The special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to probe the tenure of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Jim Obazee, on Friday told the Federal Capital Territory High Court that former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, should also face prosecution over the alleged fraudulent disbursement of $6.2 million from the CBN.
Obazee made the submission while testifying as a prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Emefiele, who is facing a 20-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office and fraud.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Obazee was asked to comment on documents tendered before the court, including a letter purportedly signed by the late President Buhari authorising the release of the $6.2 million and another allegedly issued from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation directing Emefiele to release the funds to one Jibril Abubakar, said to be a staff member in the SGF’s office, for logistics relating to foreign election observers.
Responding, Obazee described the circumstances surrounding the transaction as “an unfortunate situation.”
During an earlier appearance before the court, Mustapha had denied authorising the release of the funds, insisting that neither he nor the late President Buhari approved the payment. He maintained that all the documents relied upon to facilitate the transaction, including the letter attributed to Buhari, were forged and that the fraud was perpetrated by individuals who acted in collaboration with some CBN officials.
However, Obazee rejected the denials by the former SGF and the Presidency, insisting that those allegedly linked to the transaction should also face trial alongside Emefiele.
“For actions and inactions, Buhari ought to be charged and must be charged along with Emefiele in this $6.2 million fraud, even if posthumously since national honours are given posthumously,” he said.
“As for Boss Mustapha, as far as I am concerned, he did deny to me that he did not sign the documents from his office which initiated the request for the $6.2m and led to the release of the amount to a person who claimed to be a staff of his office.
“Whatever you are doing to Emefiele by way of prosecution ought to have been done to Buhari, Mustapha, Maishanu and former board members of the CBN under Emefiele.
“If all of them are prosecuted, it will serve as deterrent and problems of Nigeria will be reduced and eliminated by 50 percent.”
“I just hope that all of them would be lined up in this dock with Emefiele and this must include Maishanu, who returned to me $856,500.”
Under cross-examination by Emefiele’s counsel, Matthew Burkaa (SAN), Obazee admitted that he did not recover any money from the former CBN governor and that his investigation uncovered no evidence showing that any of the allegedly diverted funds was transferred into Emefiele’s personal account.
He, however, argued that Emefiele ought to have been aware of the transaction, contending that if the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) system and the Bank Verification Number (BVN) portal at the Abuja branch of the CBN had been effectively utilised before the funds were released, the alleged fraud could have been detected or prevented.
Following the day’s proceedings, trial judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, adjourned the matter until October 20 for continuation of hearing.