ABUSE OF OFFICE: Emefiele Pleads Not Guilty At Lagos Court

The embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has pleaded not guilty to alleged abuse of office and allocation of billions of United States dollars.

Emefiele was arraigned at the Ikeja State High Court in Lagos on Monday, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Emefiele, alongside his co-defendant, one Henry Isioma Omole, were arraigned on 26 counts before Justice Rahman Oshodi.

The charge, marked ID/23787c/2024 and dated April 3, 2024. was filed by Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) on behalf of EFCC.

In the charge, EFCC 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.”

The commission also 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”

EFCC further alleged that the former apex bank governor 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.”

However, appearing before the court, Emefiele asked to be granted bail on self-recognizance pending the hearing and determination of his case.

“Emefiele has been granted bail by Justice Muazu and has been attending his trial at the FCT High Court. Since that bail was granted, he has never missed his hearing dates and the prosecution is almost rounding up its case. The defendant has always religiously presented himself in court to answer the allegations against him,” counsel, Lebi Lawal said.

“Last week Thursday, the EFCC called him to say that two charges have been filed against him and he has presented himself again in court today to answer to the charge against him. He is not a flight risk”.