The former central bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele has arrived at the Ikeja State High Court in Lagos for his trial over alleged abuse of office and mis-allocation of billions of dollars.
Emefiele, alongside his co-defendant, one Henry Isioma Omole, will be assigned on fresh 26 counts before Justice Rahman Oshodi this morning Monday 8 April 2024.
In the charge marked ID/23787c/2024 and dated April 3, 2024, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele abused his office between 2022 and 2023 in Lagos.
The commission alleged that the former CBN governor “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.” Godwin Emefiele was removed from office in June 2023,and charged with procurement fraud at a local court, which remanded him in prison pending his bail ruling.
In amended charges, the Nigerian government said Godwin Emefiele illegally awarded contracts for dozens of vehicles during his time as the governor of the apex bank in Africa’s largest economy, according to court documents. The charge sheet alleged that Emefiele used his position as the bank’s governor to “confer a corrupt advantage” on another member of staff by awarding the contracts to a company with links to that staff member, thereby breaching Nigeria’s procurement laws.
Appearing in court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, Emefiele pleaded not guilty to the charges, which could land him in jail for at least five years if convicted. He has been in custody for most of the time since he was removed from office.
