The immediate-past governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has arrived at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for his arraignment over alleged abuse of office.
Emefiele, alongside Henry Isioma Omoile, were being arraigned on fresh 26-count charge before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja High Court on allegations of accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property receipt.
He was also accused of conferring corrupt advantage on his associates contrary to the Corrupt Practices Act, 2000 in the charge filed on April 3 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
Recall that Emefiele is already being prosecuted by the EFCC at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja over allegations of fraudulent financial transactions during his time in office as CBN governor.
The arraignment of the duo is currently ongoing.
Some of the counts read, “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 without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.
“That You, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE between 2022 and 2023, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court 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 amounting to the total sum of $370,872,893.01 (Three Hundred and Seventy Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Two Thousand, Eighb’ Hundred and Ninety-Three Dollars, One Cent) which act is prejudice to the rights of Nigerians.
“That You, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE, sometime in December 2018, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, corruptly received the sum of Four Hundred Thousand United States of America dollars ($400,000) from The Source Computer Limited on account of the approval of “Contracts” in favour of the said Company, by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Institution of Government wherein you served as Governor.
“That You, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE, sometime in December 2018, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, corruptly received the sum of Two Hundred Thousand United States of America Dollars ($200,000) from The Source Computer Limited on account of the approval of “Contracts” in favour of the said Company, by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Institution of Government wherein you served as Governor.”
