$4.5b Fraud: I Am Not Guilty, Emefiele Tells Court

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Monday remanded the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for alleged abuse of office and fraud  to the tune of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Rahman Oshodi remanded Emefiele in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody while his co-defendant, Henry  Isioma-Omoile, was remanded in the Ikoyi custodial centre.

Oshodi remanded the defendants pending the determination of their bail applications on April 11.

The judge adjourned the case until April 11 for determination of bail application and commencement of trial.

Earlier, EFCC arraigned Emefiele on a 23-count charge bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained and conferring corrupt advantage, while  his co-defendant was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on acceptance of gift by agents.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) had asked the court for a trial date following the defendants’ not guilty pleas.

Oyedepo also informed  the court that the prosecution would be asking for closed section for some of its witnesses who were willing to come  to court  to testify but scared for their lives.

Counsel to the two defendants, Mr Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, had in their bail applications, urged the court to grant them bail on self recognizance and liberal terms pending  the determination of the case.

Labi-Lawal, in a 35-paragraph affidavit, said that the first defendant (Emefiele) complied with the bail application which was given to him by Justice Hamza Muazu in his ongoing  fraud trial in Abuja.

He added that the charges  against the first defendant were bailable.

“Though the first defendant was granted administrative bail by the prosecuting authority, he is seeking  bail based on self recognizance, and he is ready to attend trial.

“The court should also take into consideration the status of the first defendant as he was the former CBN governor of the country,” the counsel said.

The defence counsel further said that Emefiele  religiously presented himself before Justice Hamza Muazu in Abuja to answer allegations before him.

According to the counsel, the first defendant was not at flight risk as he was the first person to arrive in court.

He also prayed the court to grant bail to  Emefiele on liberal terms

Labi-Lawal also moved a bail application for the second defendant, and  urged the court to grant him bail on liberal terms.

Prosecution counsel, Oyedepo, did not oppose  the  bail  applications.

Oyedepo, however, urged the court to exercise its discretion judiciously  in granting  bail  to the  defendants.

In one of the charges, EFCC  alleged that Emefiele abused the authority of his office as CBN  governor by allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2.2 billion without  bids, the act which was prejudiced to the rights of Nigerians.

It also alleged that the ex-CBN governor corruptly accepted an aggregate sum of  $26.5 million from NIPCO Plc through Donatone Ltd.

The commission also accused Emefiele of receiving the sum of $400,000 from the Source Computer Ltd. on account of the approval of a “contract” in favour of the said company by CBN.

The anti-graft also alleged that Emefiele used his position as the governor of CBN  to confer  corrupt advance on his associate, Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd. by approving payment of an aggregate sum of N900 million to the company.

Emefiele was also  alleged to have used  his position as the CBN governor to confer a corrupt advantage on Comec Support Services  Ltd. by approving the sum of N149 million to the company.

EFCC also  alleged that the former CBN governor used his position to  confer  a corrupt advantage on  Andswin Resources and Solutions Ltd. by approving payment of the sum of N398 million to the company.

EFCC also accused Emefiele’s co-defendant (Isioma-Omoile) of giving the sum of $100,000 to the governor as gift reward for allocation of foreign exchange.

According to prosecution, the alleged offences violate Sections 8, 10, and 19 of the Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Act  of 2000, Sections 65, 73, and 328 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011. (NAN)

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