EFCC to arraign Emefiele on fresh fraud charges

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed fresh charges, including alleged fraudulent foreign exchange allocation of $2 billion, against former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, accusing him of abusing his authority while in office.

According to the fresh 26-count charge filed at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, the anti-graft agency said Mr Emefiele while being CBN governor arbitrarily allocated foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2 billion ($2,136,391,737.33) “without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians”.

The commission said Mr Emefiele allegedly committed the offences between 2022 and 2023, according to Channels Television, which reported Friday night that the fresh charges were filed on 3 April by the EFCC prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The report added that Mr Emefiele would be arraigned before Rahman Oshodi, a judge of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Monday, 8 April.

The alleged offences border 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.

Count one of the charge reads, “that you, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE between 2022 and 2023, 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 $2,136,391,737.33 (Two Billion, One Hundred and thirty-six million, three hundred and ninety-one thousand, seven hundred and thirty-seven Dollars, thirty-three cents) without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”

Background

Meanwhile, Mr Emefiele faces other corruption charges at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.

In the Abuja case, the anti-corruption commission EFCC accused the former CBN governor of criminal conspiracy, conferring undue advantage, and breach of trust, among others.

But Mr Emefiele denied the allegations, originally captured in six counts.

He was first arraigned on 28 November 2023 before the EFCC amended the charges necessitating a re-arraignment.

The commission, in the amended charges, increased the number of counts from six to 20, and dropped a former co-defendant’s name, Sa’adatu Yaro, from the case.

In some of the counts, EFCC alleged that Mr Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled, ‘Re: Presidential Directive on Foreign Election Observer Missions,’ dated January 2023 with reference number, SGF.43/L.01/201.

The EFCC alleged that Mr Emefiele made the claim knowing the same to be false.

In the case marked CR/577/2023, the prosecution alleged Mr Emefiele, on 8 February 2023, connived with one Odoh Ocheme, said to be on the run, to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN, claiming that it was requested by the office of the Secretary to the Governor of the Federation (SGF) “vide a letter dated Jan. 26 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.”

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The anti-graft agency also alleged that “the contract for the renovation of the CBN Governor’s lodge, located at No. 2 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, was awarded to a company named Messrs. Architekon Nigeria Ltd, “wherein the duo are directors and majority shareholders.”

The offences, according to the EFCC, contravened the provisions of sections 17, and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, as well as sections 315, 363 and 364 of the Penal Code.

The court allowed the defendant to continue with the bail he was earlier granted.

The EFCC has called a number of witnesses in the ongoing case