By Lukman Olabiyi

The prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, Ifeoma Ogbonnaya, told the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja that three companies’ bank accounts linked to the defendant and his wife are being operated by proxy.

The witness, a Business Relationship Manager with Zenith Bank Plc, disclosed that Emefiele and his wife, Margaret were not signatories to the accounts but did give approval for any transaction on the accounts.

Emefiele is standing trial for alleged abuse of office and allocation of $4.5bn, N2.8bn, while he was the CBN governor.

The embattled former CBN governor is facing 26 counts alongside his co-defendant, Henry Isioma Omoile, before Justice Rahman Oshodi, preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

One of the charges preferred against Emefiele by EFCC reads: “That You, HENRY ISIOMA OMOILE on or about the 27th of November, 2020, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst acting as an agent accepted from Raja Punjab through Monday Osazuwa, the total sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), for Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, gifts as reward for allocating foreign exchange by the Central Bank in favour of Raja Punjab’s employer”.

Ogbonnaya revealed this while she was being cross-examined by Emefiele’s Counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN).

She said neither Emefiele nor his wife were signatories to the three companies namely Limelight Multidimensional Ltd, Comec Support Services Ltd and Ambswin Resources Ltd, accounts.

Ogbonnaya said the signatories to the accounts were one Mrs Augustina.

She, however, told the court that the transaction would not be processed until it was approved by Mrs Emefiele.

The witness said: “l still maintain that Mrs Margaret Emefiele gave me instructions through phone calls, Whatsapp chat and my official email.

“I saved Mrs Emefiele’s number as ‘Margo’  on my phone and she has several numbers but I can only remember her foreign number which is +447941835451.

“The phone numbers are saved on my mobile device, iPhone 11 which are for my contact, both personal and official.

The witness further told the court that instructions to banks are not oral but in writing and before she came to court to give evidence, she had the opportunity to review the account opening of the three companies.

Ogbonnaya maintained that Emefiele’s name and his wife’s did not appear as shareholders or signatories to the corporate accounts of the companies.

She stated that the shareholders of Limelight Multidimensional Ltd were Mr Stephen Ogwa, Patricia Essan, Bruce Olotu Agustina Omoile, Oriekose Agustina and Ibrahim Oluwadamilare.

She said that Bruce Olotu had the highest share of 600,000 in Limelight Multidimensional Ltd.

“I did not come across any document in the account opening package that  Mrs Emefiele is a direct beneficial owner of the corporate accounts of the companies.

“There is a regulatory requirement on the collection of information on beneficial owners of a corporate account.

“There is a Know Your Customer  (KYC) platform through which banks collect information on the beneficial owner of an account but I was not involved at the initial opening of the account.

“When the former relationship officer left, I continued the relationship based on what the previous relationship officer has been managing them with.”

The witness also said KYC was before the court and that financing risk assessment formed part of KYC.

She also confirmed to the court that in the running of the business of banking, Zenith Banks followed guidelines regarding the deposit and withdrawal of funds.

Ogbonnaya further told the court that there was no relationship between Emefiele and the companies.

She said that Emefiele never had any credit transactions with the companies’ accounts and there was no debit in favour of Emefiele.

The case is adjourned to October  28, 30, and 31.