Emefiele’s $2.045m Cash, Documents from Lawyer – Witness

The 12th Prosecution Witness, PW12, David Oyesina Jaiyeoba in the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s  governor, Godwin Emefiele, on Friday, January 30, 2026, told the Federal Capital Territory, FCT,  High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu that the sum of $2,045,000 (Two Million, Forty Five Thousand United States Dollars) and title documents recovered from Emefiele’s lawyer, belonged to Emefiele.

Guided meticulously by prosecution counsel and Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness, an EFCC investigation officer, recounted the case’s origins under oath.

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 “Lots of individuals, companies and government agencies were invited and interviewed and loads of findings were made,” he said.

Adding that several assets as well as cash were recovered in the process which have been confiscated by the federal government.

Lawyer Confesses: $2M Cash Belongs to Defendant

“Two million dollars was found and said to have come from one Eric Ocheme Odo.

The said Eric was PA (Personal Assistant) to Emefiele during his tenure as governor of CBN.

Defendant’s Lawyer Confesses $2.045M Cash Seized from Him Belongs to Emefiele

We discovered property documents and he also confirmed that the property belonged to the defendant,” he said.

Testifying further under oath, the EFCC investigation officer addressed the court.

“My lord, substantial funds totaling precisely $2,045,000.00 were meticulously recovered during the operation.

$2M Funds, Titles Seized at Zenith Bank HQ

These funds, along with critical property title documents, formed the core evidence seized from Zenith Bank Plc’s bustling headquarters in vibrant Lagos.

Mr. Collins Omeife, the defendant’s trusted lawyer, securely possessed them under questionable circumstances.

Our investigations on Collins confirmed that Mr. Collins Omeife acquired and perfected title documents on Emefiele’s instructions.

Omeife Confesses Fully Under EFCC Intense Interrogation

The witness stated Mr. Collins Omeife faced intense EFCC interrogation, yielding a full confession under controlled conditions.

Omeife admitted the defendant habitually handed him large cash sums in multiple discreet sessions, forming a pattern of transactions.

The payments earmarked these crisp U.S. Dollars, a foreign currency, for buying high-value properties on the defendant’s behalf.

He also stated that the defendant’s personal assistant, Eric Ocheme Odoh, usually sent him the funds.

Omeife further said he used part of the funds to renovate some of the defendant’s old assets.

Defendant Confirms Asset Ownership in Confiscation Hearing

PW12: Defendant Confirmed Asset Ownership During Federal Confiscation Show-Cause Hearing

The witness further informed the court that former CBN Governor Emefiele personally greenlit massive payments for high-stakes contracts awarded to select firms.

These approvals flowed to numerous companies, each vetted through official channels, fueling projects under stringent central bank oversight protocols.

Architekon Nigeria Ltd, Run by Emefiele’s Brother-in-Law MacCombo and Wife Margaret Omoile, Receives Key Payments

Architekon Memo Reveals CBN Governor’s Ikoyi House Approval

According to him, the defendant approved payment for Messrs.

Architekon Nigeria Ltd: CBN Exhibit A1 Memo Approves Payment for Governor Emefiele’s Ikoyi Lagos Residence

He also stated that Exhibit A2 is a contract document for the landscaping of the governor’s residence by Architekon Nigeria Ltd.

The witness explained that Exhibit A5 is a confidential internal memo from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s administrative core.

CBN Memo Seeks Approval for N97.9M Furniture Payment

CBN Internal Memo Requests Approval for N97,908,416.38 Office Furniture Payment to Architekon Nigeria Limited

Payment targets Architekon Nigeria Limited specifically for supplying premium office furniture to outfit CBN facilities nationwide.

While Exhibit A8,  is another internal memo of the CBN, a contract for the provision of dedicated power in the CBN governor’s residence, with an interim certificate, approved by the defendant.

Witness Reveals EFCC-Zenith Bank Correspondence on Emefiele’s Account During Testimony

Exhibits ED1, ED2, ED3: Zenith Bank’s Responses to EFCC Requests on Emefiele’s Accounts

Exhibit ED3 Reveals N4M Debit from Emefiele’s Account to Architekon Nigeria Ltd

Justice Muazu Adjourned Trial to March 5, 16, 17

Justice Muazu adjourned the matter till March 5, 16 and 17, 2026 for continuation of trial.

EFCC Leads Prosecution of Ex-CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele in Explosive High-Profile Financial Misconduct Scandal

They pursue him on an amended 20-count indictment, meticulously detailing grave economic infractions before Justice Nwaka Muazu’s court.

Charges encompass criminal breach of trust, where public funds faced deliberate mismanagement through unauthorized diversions and self-serving allocations.