Alleged $6.2m Fraud:  Forensic Expert Confirms Forgery of Buhari, Mustapha’s Signatures under the former CBN governor, Emefiele 

Bamaiyi Haruna Mairiga, Sixth Prosecution Witness, PW6, during the trial of the former CBN, Godwin Emefiele on  Thursday, March 7, 2024 informed Justice of the Federal Capital High Court, Hamza Muazu of his observation about the alleged forgery of the signitures of former president Buhari and the secretary to the Federation, Mr Mustapha. Alleged $6.2m Fraud

According to Bamaiyi, in his statement to the Justice of the Federal Capital High Court, a forensic examination conducted Previously showed that signatures of the both above mentioned past public office administrators were forged to make unauthorized payment of $6.2million to foreign election observers in the 2023 General Election.

Alleged $6.2m Fraud:  Forensic Expert Confirms Forgery of Buhari, Mustapha’s Signatures under the former CBN governor, Emefiele

A Statement released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said, “Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo,  SAN, Mairiga, a forensic expert informed the court that forensic evaluation of the “Presidential Directive on Foreign Observers Election A” and “Presidential Directive on Foreign Observer Election A2,” which were the documents upon which the payment was made by the CBN under Emefiele, showed manifest evidence of forgery of the signatures of Buhari and Mustapha under forensic scrutiny, and a clear evidence that the seal of execution was equally fake.

“My Lord, the conclusion of the examination showed that the questioned signature marked “X-X1” had suspicious evidence of forgery or copying act, as line quality, the form, skill of execution and pen movement were found to be different from the specimen signatures marked A-A2 and B-81″, he said. Alleged $6.2m Fraud

Clarifying, in the noted document, the speaker said,  “specifically, the form and formation of the disputed signature marked X and specimen signatures marked 1 were different with respect to pen movement impulses, initial and terminal strokes, loops, tremors, and individual characteristics.

“This confirms that the author of specimen signatures marked B-81 did not write the signature of Muhammadu Buhari on the disputed document marked X. Also, the form and formation of the disputed signature marked X1 and specimen signatures marked A-A2 were also different with respect to pen  movement impulses, initial and terminal strokes, loops, tremors, and individual characteristics. Alleged $6.2m Fraud

“This confirms that the author of specimen signatures marked A-A2 did not write the signature of Boss Mustapha on the disputed document marked X1 and the same was produced into a report and returned to the requesting unit”.
The “Presidential Directive on  Foreign Observers Election A” and “Presidential Directive on Foreign  Observer Election A2” were tendered in evidence and admitted by the court.

“Under cross-examination by counsel to Emefiele, Matthew  Burkaa, SAN, Mairiga revealed that he was seconded to the EFCC in 2018  from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and that NIS remained the agency of his primary employment.Alleged $6.2m Fraud

“After listening to the cross-examinations, Justice Muazu discharged Mairiga from the dock and adjourned the matter till March 11, 2024.

“Earlier on Monday, February 12, 2024, Ogau Onyeka Michael, a prosecution witness, had disclosed before Justice Muazu that Emefiele approved the payment of $6,230,000 (Six Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars) in cash for international election observers in the 2023 General Election. Alleged $6.2m Fraud

“Michael, a former Abuja Branch Controller of CBN, led in evidence by Oyedepo revealed that on January 8, 2023, a request for payment in the sum of $6,230,000 came to his office and that the documents for the disbursement of the money were approved by the then CBN governor in cash for international election observers.

“Similarly, another prosecution witness, Boss Gida Mustapha, former SGF on Tuesday, February  13, 2024, told Justice Muazu that neither the former President Buhari nor himself raised a memo directing the apex bank to pay the said sum to international election observers in the last general election. Alleged $6.2m Fraud.

The former secretary to the Federation, Mr Mustapha told the court he was unaware of such transaction while he served as the SGF under the former president Muhammadu Buhari. Alleged $6.2m Fraud

“My Lord, all through my years in service at my capacity, I   never came across such a document. Having served for five years, seven months”, he said.