The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a fresh 26-count charge bordering on abuse of office & corruption against the immediate former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele will be arraigned before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja on Monday, April 8 on counts bordering on accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, receipt of property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage on his associates contrary to the Corrupt Practices Act of 2000.
Emefiele, alongside his co-defendant, one Henry Isioma Omole, will be arraigned on 26-count before Justice Rahman Oshodi.
The charge, marked ID/23787c/2024, dated April 3, 2024. was filed by Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
EFCC alleged that Emefiele committed an abuse of office between 2022 and 2023 in Lagos.
The Commission alleged that Emefiele “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2,136,391,737.33 without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”
EFCC further alleged that Emefiele, between 2020 and 2021, in Lagos, “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary, act to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $291,945,785.59, without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.
Emefiele was alleged to have, in 2021, in Lagos, “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: special allocation of foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $1,769,254,793.16, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”
In count four, the sum involved was $370,872,893.01.
Emefiele’s co-defendant Omoile was alleged to have November 17, 2020, in Lagos, whilst acting as an agent accepted from Raja Punjab through Monday Osazuwa, the total sum of $110,000, for Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, gifts as a reward for allocating foreign exchange by the Central Bank in favor of Raja Punjab’s employer.”
According to the charge, the offences committed contravened Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
