Elizabeth O.
Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and Henry Omoile have been arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of alleged fraud amounting to $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion, Aso Naija Reports.
The arraignment took place before Justice R.A. Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos.
Emefiele and Omoile appeared in court to face an amended 26-count charge.
Emefiele’s involvement was specifically mentioned in counts one to four and counts eight to 26, which pertain to allegations of abuse of office, contrary to Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011; acceptance of gratification, contrary to Section 8 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000; corrupt demand, contrary to Section 10 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000; receiving fraudulently obtained property, contrary to Section 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011; and conferring corrupt advantage, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Omoile, on the other hand, was mentioned in counts five, six, and seven, which pertain to allegations of accepting gifts by agents, contrary to Section 65 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
Count one of the charges against Emefiele reads: “Between 2022 and 2023 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, directed, 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.”
Count two states: “Between 2020 and 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, directed, 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.”
