In a momentous step, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha testified as Prosecution Witness 2 in the trial of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele faces 20 revised counts of corrupt benefits, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and acquiring by false pretenses totaling $6,230,000.
During the proceedings at the FCT High Court in Abuja, Mustapha testified that he was unaware of the $6.2 million transaction and stated that the paper did not originate from the President’s office during his tenure.
Mustapha, who served for five years and seven months, claimed that the word “Special Appropriation Provision” was unknown to him, citing the terms “appropriation” and “Supplementary.”
The former SGF also stated that he had never received mail from former President Muhammadu Buhari that ended with the line “Please accept with my highest regard,” claiming that the signature on such letters was an unsuccessful attempt to replicate Buhari’s signature.
Mustapha further claimed that the Nigerian government had no participation in the payment of foreign election observers and insisted that Federal Executive Council decisions were not communicated via letters.
This trial is still ongoing, with testimonies giving light on the alleged fraudulent acts around the $6.2 million transaction involving Emefiele.