The Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has been released after meeting the bail conditions granted him by the Court.
Emefiele, who arrived at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja in custody of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, left for his home after the court proceedings.
Justice Rahman Oshodi, who ruled on his bail application, admitted him to bail in the sum of N50m with two sureties in like sum.
Shortly after the court granted him bail, trial started with the EFCC calling its first prosecution witness.
The witness, a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Monday Osazuwa, told the court how the former CBN Governor on different occasions, directed him to collect the sum of $3 million cash in tranches.
Led-in-evidence by the prosecution counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Oyedepo, the witness narrated to the court how he served as a dispatch rider in Zenith Bank, after which he joined the apex bank as well as the many errands he ran for the former CBN governor.
He said, “I joined the CBN in 2014 as a contract staff and became staff in 2015. I knew the first defendant when he was a Deputy Director of Zenith Bank, and he later became Director. I worked with him since then.
“I was still working in the governor’s office while I was appointed as a full staff, and we usually communicate through WhatsApp and Emails. I performed as a senior supervisor, recording and filing with other official roles.”
He also testified that sometime in 2020, the first defendant sent him on errand.
“When he called me, he directed that I should call a businessman who gave me $1 million dollars on his behalf. Some weeks later, the first defendant also called me that I should meet the man and he gave me $850,000, $750,000 and $400,000 cash in tranches.”
