Judge Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja continued to hear testimony in the trial of former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, or CBN, Godwin Emefiele, on Thursday.
Emefiele is on trial before Justice Muazu for a total of twenty-count modified accusations that include conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery, corrupt advantages, and gaining $6,230,000 by false pretenses.
A forensic analyst at the resumption of the hearing verified that a document used to ask for the payment of $6.2 million for international election observers was falsified.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC, called witness Bamaiyi Meriga, who testified before the court that forensic examination of the contested documents revealed blatant evidence of signature forgery and that the execution seal was different from the original.
Additionally, he attested to the fact that the signatures did not belong to the former president Muhammadu Buhari or Boss Mustapha, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Justice Muazu, the trial court, allowed two documents, including the presidential directive on foreign observers, into evidence.
The witness claimed, on cross-examination by Emefiele’s attorney, that he was not an employee of the EFCC and that the Nigeria Immigration Service was the source of his income rather than the anti-graft organization.
Matthew Burkaa, the attorney for Emefiele, expressed his disgust with the witness’s behavior, claiming that the witness deceived the court by dodging questions.
Rotimi Oyedepo, the prosecution’s attorney, was not pleased with the defense attorney’s assertions, though.
The case has been postponed till March 11 for continuation.