A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that $6.23 million was withdrawn in cash from the CBN’s Garki branch using what he described as forged approval documents.Testifying before Justice Hamza Muazu, Assistant Director at the CBN, Bashirudden Muhammed Maishanu, said the withdrawal was presented as funds for “election observers and logistics”.
Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness said he was contacted in early 2023 by a man identified as Ahmed, who claimed to be acting on presidential approval and in coordination with an aide to the then CBN governor.
Maishanu told the court that although he was not present at the branch when the cash was collected, he later saw the money and became suspicious due to the amount involved. He said $2.5 million was left with him and two others but insisted he did not initially know the transaction was fraudulent.
During cross-examination, he stated that the withdrawal trail could be verified through internal CBN documents bearing multiple signatures. He also said he later saw documents he believed were forged.The court heard that no disciplinary action was taken against him by the CBN in relation to the incident. The case was adjourned for continuation of trial.
