The legal proceedings against former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, unfolded on Thursday before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
The trial witnessed a significant revelation as forensic analyst Bamaiyi Meriga, called by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), affirmed that documents used to request a $6.2 million payment for foreign election observers were indeed forged.
Meriga detailed the forensic analysis he conducted, revealing clear evidence of signature forgery and disparities in the seal of execution compared to the original documents. He further confirmed that the signatures did not match those of former President Muhammad Buhari and ex-Secretary General of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
The trial judge, Justice Muazu, admitted the two documents—presidential directives on foreign observer election—as evidence in the case.
During cross-examination by Emefiele's counsel, Matthew Burkaa, Meriga clarified that he was not an EFCC staff and was not paid by the anti-graft agency; rather, his salary was domiciled with the Nigeria Immigration Service.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the witness's conduct, Burkaa accused Meriga of evading questions, while Prosecution Counsel Rotimi Oyedepo disagreed with the defense counsel's stance.
The trial has been adjourned until March 11 for further proceedings. Stay tuned for updates on this ongoing legal battle.
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