Emefiele’s $4.5 Billion Fraud Case Takes New Twist As Court Accepts More Damning Documents

The trial, which resumed on Thursday, saw the presiding judge overrule the arguments of defence counsels, led by Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN), and admit the new documents as Exhibits G and H.

Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), continued the examination of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operative, Alvan Gurumnaan, who revealed new details from the investigation.

Gurumnaan read out WhatsApp messages from Exhibit G, showing a conversation between two individuals identified as Henry and John Adetola, where Henry instructed Adetola to deliver $400,000 to “Oga.”

According to Gurumnaan, Adetola later confirmed that he took the money to Lekki, Lagos, where he handed it to one Ayo, an aide to Emefiele, before proceeding to the CBN Lagos office to deliver it directly to the former governor.

The EFCC operative added that investigators also questioned Ayo, who corroborated Adetola’s account and further admitted to personally delivering another $200,000 to Emefiele.

He continued, “We invited Mr. Victor Oyedua, a CBN contractor, who confirmed during interrogation that he gave $400,000 and $200,000 to Ayo for onward delivery to the first defendant. He said he did so after being told he needed to ‘settle management’ before his pending contracts could be processed.”

The prosecution also tendered several CBN-related documents, including an original letter from a company to the EFCC dated February 24, 2024. Although the defence objected to their admissibility, claiming the documents were uncertified photocopies, the court dismissed the objection and admitted them as Exhibit H.

Additionally, Adetola’s mobile phone was presented as Exhibit I, containing WhatsApp conversations between him and Henry, which were analyzed in court.

The EFCC also sought to tender statements made by Emefiele during interrogation, prompting Justice Oshodi to order a trial within trial to determine their admissibility.

The judge subsequently adjourned proceedings until November 21, 2025, for a report on the forensic inspection and continuation of the trial.