Abuse of FX allocation,  other charges EFCC will be filing against Emefiele on Monday

 

Baring any last minute change, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will arraign the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele on Monday April 8 at the Ikeja State High Court in Lagos for alleged abuse of office over allocation of billions of United States dollars.

Emefiele and his co-defendant, one Henry Isioma Omoile, will take their plea on 26-count charge before Justice R.A Oshodi.

The charge sheet marked ID/23787c/2024, was dated April 3, 2024 was filed by EFCC counsel Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo.(SAN).

The 1st count of the charge states that Emefiele committed between 2022 and 2023, in Lagos, an “abuse of office”, an offence punishable under Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The count 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.”

Count two, which is also abuse of office, 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.”

In count three, 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.

In count five, Emefiele’s co-defendant Omoile was accused that, “about the 17th of November, 2020, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court 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.”