The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele on May 15 in a Federal Capital Territory court on a three-count amended charge.
In the fresh charge filed against him, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele disobeyed the direction of the law with the intent to cause injury to the public during his implementation of the naira swap policy of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Additionally, he is accused of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of N124.8 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.
The arraignment, with case number CR/264/2024, was initially scheduled before Justice Maryan Anenih.
However, all parties were absent from court proceedings, prompting the prosecution to seek an adjournment due to Emefiele’s trial in another court in Lagos.
The court has adjourned the case until May 15 to allow for the arraignment.
Emefiele is also facing trial before Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court on an alleged 20-count amended charge, which includes criminal breach of trust, forgery, and conspiracy to obtain money by pretense during his tenure as the CBN governor.
In a related development, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the FCT High Court awarded N100 million damages in favour of Emefiele against the Federal Government and the EFCC on January 8.
The court restrained the government and its agents from arresting Emefiele unless an order was obtained through a competent court, emphasizing that there was no justification for his continued detention without arraignment.
Emefiele had sought the court’s intervention to enforce his fundamental rights, arguing that his prolonged detention without being arraigned violated his rights to life, personal liberty, fair hearing, and freedom of movement as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
