The former governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele will be arraigned before the Ikeja State High Court in Lagos for alleged abuse of office over allocation of billions of United States dollars.
Emefiele alongside his co-defendant, alongside Henry Isioma Omole, was charged by the Economic Financial Crime Commission, EFCC on 26 counts before Justice Rahman Oshodi.
The charge, marked ID/23787c/2024, dated April 3, 2024, was filed by Mr Rotimi Oyedepo SAN. EFCC alleged that Emefiele committed abuse of office between 2022 and 2023, in Lagos, of abuse of office.
The commission 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.”
EFCC, further 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.”
Emefiele was alleged to have, 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.”
In count four, the sum involved was $370,872,893.01.
Emefiele’s co defendant Omole was alleged to have November, 17, 2020, in Lagos, whilst acting as an agent accepted from Raja Punjab through Monday Osazuwa, the total sum of $110,000, for Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, gifts as reward for allocating foreign exchange by the Central Bank in favor of Raja Punjab’s employer.”
According to the charge the offences committed contravene to the provision of Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
