EFCC slams Emefiele with fresh 26-count charge

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has slammed the immediate former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, with a fresh 26-count charge.

As reported by Channels Television, the charge sheet was filed on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, by the EFCC Prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

Emefiele is standing trial for an alleged 20-count amended charge preferred against him by the anti-graft body.

He was alleged to have engaged in criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence and obtaining money by false pretence when he served as the apex bank’s boss.

However, per the new charges, the former CBN boss will be arraigned before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on Monday, April 8.

His alleged offences include accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, receipt of property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage on his associates contrary to the Corrupt Practices Act of 2000.

“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 (Two Billion, One Hundred and thirty-six million, three hundred and ninety-one thousand, seven hundred and thirty-seven Dollars, thirty-three cents) without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians,” count one of the charge sheet read.

The development came to light barely hours after President Bola Tinubu announced the conclusion of an investigation into Emefiele's tenure at the CBN.

The President lauded Jim Obazee for his services as the Special Investigator of the CBN and other related entities.

Tinubu said the investigations had been formally closed, and all appropriate law enforcement and regulatory agencies were already conducting follow-up actions.