BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
An investigator of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Chinedu Eneanya, on Thursday told the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) High Court that former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) disobeyed former President Muhammadu Buhari’s directives severally in the lead up to the redesigning of some of the country’s naira notes.
Eneanya, a Detective of the Commission who appeared as Principal Witness 7(PW7), was testifying in the suit on a four-count charge instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) against Emefiele wherein he is accused of redesigning the N200, N500 and N1000 notes of the Nigerian currency without the approval of the President and the CBN Board.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Eneanya told the court, presided over by Justice Maryann Anenih, that in the course of investigation his team invited four Deputy Governors of the CBN, who served under Emefiele namely; Adesonubi Folasodun, Adamu Edward, Kingsley Obiora and Mrs Aisha Ahmed, who volunteered statements to the agency on their involvement in the Naira redesign.
PW7 said that the redesign of the Naira notes launched by former President Muhammadu Buhari and currently in circulation was not the one approved by the ex-President or the Board of the CBN.
He specifically noted that specimen approved by the President was to have several security features including colour and QR code but was jettisoned by Emefiele who had his personal plans about it and was working with a hasty timeframe.
PW7 said that Emefiele and the Managing Director of Nigeria Security Minting and Printing Company, Mr Ahmed Halilu decided that colour- swapping was the only option to deliver within Emefiele’s timeframe.
According to him, President Buhari also expressly directed that the proposed new notes be designed and printed Locally in Nigeria but Emefiele in direct contravention of the directive awarded both jobs to a United Kingdom-based firm, De La Rue and paid in pounds.
He said from investigation, for the design alone, the British firm was paid £205,000 amounting to over N111million at the exchange rate at the time.
When the witness had used the word “disobeyed” in his statement, counsel to Emefiele, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, raised an objection saying he lacked competence to do so but following prompting from Oyedepo, Justice Anenih said she would like to hear him conclude the sentence and he did.
Subsequently, noting the duration of time already spent for the day, Oyedepo asked for an adjournment for the witness to continue with his evidence at a later date.
Oyedepo also informed the court that he had filed additional proof of evidence and will present electronic evidence before the court.
He also informed the court of his intention to call two additional witnesses based in the United Kingdom that would testify virtually in the trial.
Ojo objected to the new move by the anti-graft agency to make the request informally arguing that FCT High Court, being a court of record, the EFCC ought to file a formal application stating clearly names of the two witnesses, what they intend to say in court and reasons for their preference to give evidence virtually.
Ojo’s attention was however drawn to the application for additional proof of evidence where the names of the two witnesses were mentioned and reasons for adoption of virtual evidence were given.
The judge subsequently granted the request permitting the anti-graft agency to conduct its trial of Emefiele in respect of the two witnesses virtually.
Justice Anenih adjourned to April 29, for continuation of the evidence of the witness.
