EFCC alleges forgery of Buhari, Boss Mustaha signatures in $6.2m fraud case against Emefiele

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that the signatures of former President Muhammadu Buhari and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, were forged in a scheme to defraud Nigeria of $6.23 million.

An EFCC witness, Assistant Commander II, Chinedu Eneanya, made the disclosure while testifying in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Emefiele is facing a 20-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy, and obtaining money by false pretence in the case marked FCT/HC/CR/577/2023.

According to the EFCC, five officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria allegedly facilitated the withdrawal of the funds under the pretext that it was meant for the payment of foreign election observers during the 2023 general elections.

Testifying as the 13th prosecution witness, Eneanya told the court that investigations revealed the funds were removed from the CBN’s coffers for the purported purpose, with documents backing the transaction recovered during the probe.

He further stated that forensic analysis confirmed that the signatures of Buhari and Mustapha used to authorise the release of the funds were forged.

However, under cross-examination by Emefiele’s counsel, Mathew Burkaa (SAN), the witness admitted that no forensic examination was conducted on Emefiele’s signature, despite claims by the former CBN governor that his signature was also forged.

Eneanya also revealed that five CBN officials who signed the internal memo authorising the transaction were not being prosecuted alongside Emefiele but had only been suspended by the bank.

He added that he did not personally obtain Emefiele’s extra-judicial statement and could not confirm whether the former governor directly received any part of the funds, noting that Emefiele’s lawyer had claimed to have received money on his behalf.

Tension rose in court as the defence challenged the prosecution’s approach, accusing the EFCC of prolonging the trial by presenting multiple investigating officers with similar testimonies.

Emefiele’s counsel subsequently applied for the foreclosure of the prosecution’s case if it fails to produce its remaining witnesses at the next hearing.

In response, EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) said the commission was making efforts to secure the attendance of two additional witnesses currently outside the court’s jurisdiction.

Presiding judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, directed the prosecution to ensure the witnesses are produced and adjourned the matter to April 28 for continuation of trial.

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