Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, took the stand on Tuesday as the fourth prosecution witness (PW-4) in the ongoing trial of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, before an Abuja High Court in Maitama.
Mustapha, testifying before the court, revealed that his signature, as well as that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, was forged by individuals involved in the withdrawal of 6.2 million dollars from the CBN vault on February 8th, 2023.
He clarified that he had no knowledge of, nor participated in, any correspondence leading to the withdrawal, which was purportedly intended for the payment of foreign election observers.
Led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the former SGF emphasized that documents authorizing the fund’s withdrawal did not originate from his office or the presidency.
Mustapha categorically denied receiving any amount from the withdrawn money.
While challenging the authorization letter issued in his name, Mustapha asserted that it was not within the federal government’s or the SGF’s purview to request funds from the CBN for foreign election observer payments.
In an earlier testimony, an official of the CBN, Onyeka Ogbu, stated that the money was withdrawn and handed over in cash to an official from the SGF’s office, named Jibril Abubakar.
Ogbu noted that the action received approvals from both President Buhari and the embattled former CBN governor, Emefiele, following a request by the ex-SGF, Mustapha.