In his testimony on Tuesday, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, revealed that $6.2 million was illicitly released from the Central Bank of Nigeria in February 2023, using a falsified document.
Mustapha, the fourth prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of the ex-CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, disclosed that the funds were intended for foreign observers ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Emefiele faces charges of forgery, criminal conspiracy, conferring undue advantage, and breach of trust. Mustapha discredited the document, emphasizing it didn’t originate from the President or his office.
He also refuted the existence of approved funds for foreign election observers, highlighting discrepancies in the purported presidential directives.
Mustapha asserted that the Federal Executive Council meeting on January 18, 2023, did not include approval for the $6.2 million, questioning the legitimacy of the entire transaction.
During cross-examination, he clarified that no funds were received by his office, and the identified payment procedures were atypical. The trial is set to resume on March 7, 11, and 25.
