The Lagos Special Offences Court, John Adetola, a former Executive Assistant to Godwin Emefiele, detailed how he delivered $400,000 to the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Adetola’s testimony came on Thursday as part of the ongoing trial, where Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, face 26 counts of alleged fraud involving billions in both Naira and US dollars.

Adetola shared with Justice Rahman Oshodi how, in 2018, he was instructed to pick up the sum from a man named John Ayoh, who handed him the cash in an envelope at his residence in Lekki, Lagos. “I went to the house of John Ayoh at Lekki in Lagos. He gave me an envelope, and I came back to the office and gave it to the former CBN Governor,” Adetola told the court. This transaction was reportedly part of his duties as Emefiele’s executive assistant, a role which included managing office correspondences and attending to visitors.

The prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), aims to prove that Emefiele, who led the CBN from 2014 until his suspension in 2022, abused his position to facilitate large-scale corruption. Adetola’s account also revealed his interactions with key figures like Eric Odoh, who had sent the original WhatsApp message directing him to collect the funds.

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Adetola explained his communication with the former CBN Governor was typically done through telephone, email, or face-to-face interactions, which included working with John Ayoh, the former Director of ICT at the CBN. The witness further shared that his phone had been scrutinized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) during their investigation, where they reviewed documents linked to the case.

As the trial continues, documents submitted by the prosecution, including WhatsApp communications between Adetola, Emefiele, and other associates, were admitted as evidence after a brief legal dispute. Justice Oshodi overruled objections from the defense, which had resisted the inclusion of these communications.

The case, which revolves around allegations of a $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud, will continue on December 10 as both the prosecution and defense prepare for the next phase of the proceedings.