Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele
Spread the love
For the third time, the Federal Government has amended the criminal charges it filed against the immediate-past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
In the trial of Godwin Emefiele before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC accused him of impersonating the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and illegally obtained the sum of $6.2 million.
In the amended charge marked CR/577/2023, Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, connived with one Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2m from the CBN, claiming that it was requested by the SGF “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.”
According to the EFCC, Emefiele allegedly claimed that the SGF requested the CBN to release “a contingent logistic advance in the sum of $6,230,000.00 in line with Mr. President’s directive.”
The EFCC said Emefiele made the claim despite knowing that it was false “and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Still in the amended charge, the anti-graft agency alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled: “RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS,” dated 26 January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.
He said to have allegedly connived with the fleeing Ocheme to commit the “illegal act to wit: forgery.”
The judge said the sureties must have landed property in the Maitama District of the FCT.
He also ordered the ex-CBN governor not to leave the court’s jurisdiction and directed him to deposit all his travel documents with the court.
At the proceedings on Thursday, Bukka urged the court to lift the restriction on his client, assuring that he would not jump bail if the restriction was lifted.
The EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), did not oppose the request.
He only urged the court to ensure that Emefiele wrote an undertaking that he would remain in the country if his plea was granted.
“From experience, we have seen cases where travel documents are with the court and the defendant will travel out of the country.
What they usually do is go to the immigration and depose an affidavit that their traveling documents are missing.
“So in addition to his traveling documents being with the court, he should write an undertaking that the defendant will remain in Nigeria for the duration of his trial. I am not in any way suggesting the defendant will jump bail,” Oyedepo said.
Ruling, the judge held, “The defendant’s application is hereby granted. He must remain in the country for the pendency of his trial.”
