RismadarVoice Reporters, April 29, 2026
A Commissioner of Police, Eloho E. Ekpoziakpho, has told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, approved the controversial $6.23 million payment allegedly withdrawn from the apex bank for foreign election observers.
Ekpoziakpho, who testified on Tuesday as Prosecution Witness 14 before Justice Hamza Mu’azu, said investigations established that the payment was processed with the approval of Emefiele while he served as CBN Governor.
Emefiele is standing trial on a 20-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy, and obtaining by false pretence.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness said he participated in the investigation alongside a special investigator appointed to probe activities at the CBN.
He told the court that intelligence gathered by investigators linked the withdrawal of $6.23 million from a CBN branch in Abuja to an approval process involving the former governor.
“In the course of the investigation, we discovered that the $6.23 million was approved during the tenure of the defendant as CBN Governor. The defendant was investigated,” he said.
The witness further stated that while some suspects questioned during the investigation made confessional statements, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) denied initiating any request for payment to foreign election observers.
He also presented a document allegedly conveying presidential approval for the payment, said to have originated from the SGF and dated January 26, 2023.
According to him, the letter was addressed to the CBN Governor and instructed the release of funds for election observer-related expenses.
“We found that the document was acted upon and the money was paid. It was recovered from the CBN records where the funds were disbursed,” he told the court.
Another exhibit tendered in evidence showed that the payment of $6.23 million was made on February 8, 2023, through the CBN’s banking services directorate.
However, defence counsel, Matthew Burkaa (SAN), objected to portions of the testimony, arguing that the witness should not interpret documents already admitted in evidence, citing Section 128 of the Evidence Act.
Responding, prosecution counsel Oyedepo (SAN) argued that the witness was entitled to explain the documents as part of his investigative role, noting that they were already before the court.
Ruling on the objection, Justice Mu’azu held that while the witness could be questioned on the exhibits, he must not venture into interpreting their contents beyond what is permissible.
The court also heard that the witness, who served in the Force Intelligence Department and later at the Special Fraud Unit in Lagos, was part of a team that assisted in interrogating the defendant and gathering intelligence on the case.
The matter was adjourned to July 2 and 3, 2026 for continuation of the trial.
