A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, testified on Tuesday in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, and declared that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature was forged to withdraw $6.2 million from the bank.
He also denied approving the $6.2 million purportedly used to pay for international election observers in 2023.
Mustapha insisted that the former President Buhari’s signature was forged for the illegal withdrawal.
Persecondnews reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed an amended 20-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, conferring undue advantage, and breach of trust, among others, against Emefiele.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Mustapha denied knowledge of the transaction even after he left office on May 29, 2023, clarifying that he only learnt about it in December 2023.
When he was shown the approval document from the office of the president, Mustapha said: “On the face value of the document, I can say that having served five years and seven months, this document did not emanate from the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Federal Executive Council (FEC) decisions are not transmitted by letter. They are transmitted through extracts after conclusions are adopted.
“I am the custodian of the records of the FEC. For that reason, the president cannot refer any executive conclusion to me.
“All the years I have served, I have never heard of the term special appropriation provision. The two terms known to me are appropriation, as provided for by the Appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly.
“The second is that when the government finds a gap, it brings a supplementary appropriation.
“In all the correspondences I have received from Buhari, it has never had ‘please accept the assurance of my highest regard’. I am his subordinate.
“The signature is a failed attempt at reproducing President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature. But I will leave that to the experts.”
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