Obaze Testifies in Emefiele Trial, Names Buhari and Mustapha
Jim Obaze, the special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu, has called for the prosecution of the late President Muhammadu Buhari and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha over an alleged unlawful withdrawal of $6.2 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Obaze made the demand while testifying in the ongoing trial of former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Emefiele on 20 counts, including conspiracy, fraud, and abuse of office.
Obaze: Buhari Should Be Charged Posthumously
During his testimony, Obaze argued that Buhari and Mustapha should face charges alongside Emefiele. He stated: “For actions and inactions, Buhari ought to be charged along with Emefiele in this $6.2m fraud, even if posthumously, since national honours are given posthumously.” He further alleged that Mustapha denied signing documents that initiated the request for the $6.2 million, which led to its release to an individual claiming to be a staff member of the SGF office. Obaze also implicated Bashirudeen Maishanu, a current CBN staff member, who allegedly admitted to stealing part of the money and refunded $856,500 to the investigation panel, which has since been deposited with the CBN.
Details of the Alleged Fraud
The special investigator presented documents related to the withdrawal, dismissing denials from the presidency and Mustapha's office. He suggested that the manager of the CBN branch in Abuja was at fault, as the money was released without proper due diligence. Obaze urged the court to order the arrest and prosecution of Jibril Abubakar, who collected the funds on the purported authority of the SGF office, and Maishanu. He expressed optimism that all involved would be docked like Emefiele.
Emefiele Released on Bail
In related developments, Emefiele met his N300 million bail conditions and was released from Kuje prison. Justice Hamza Mu’auz of the federal high court in Maitama granted the bail with two sureties possessing landed properties in Maitama. Adamu Duza, spokesperson of the Kuje Correctional Centre, confirmed the release.
