The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared the wife of the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and 3 other persons wanted for allegedly conspiracy to commit fraud.
The EFCC gave the names of the four suspects for alleged fraud as Margaret Dumbiri Emefiele, Eric Odoh, Anita Omoile and Jonathan Omoile.
According to the Commission, the suspects allegedly conspired with Emefiele to convert huge sums of money belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The suspected individuals are alleged to have engaged in acts of deceitful acquisition of funds and stealing, both of which flagrantly violate Sections 411, 287, and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos.
Emefiele is alleged to have bestowed corrupt benefits upon his wife, Omoile Margaret, and brother-in-law, Omoile Macombo, by supposedly granting a contract worth a staggering N99.8 million for the refurbishment of a section in the CBN Governor’s residence in Lagos.
The anti-corruption agency has made the claim that the contract for the refurbishment of the residence of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is being carried out by Architekon Nigeria Limited, a company where the two individuals are both directors and hold the majority of shares.
It stated that the suspects committed felony to “obtaining money by false pretences and stealing contrary to and punishable under Sections 411. 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.“
BRANDPOWER recalls that Emefiele was suspended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June 2023 and was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) and was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on illegal possession of firearms at a Federal High Court in Lagos and was granted bail in the sum of N20m.
The two-count charge was later dropped while a fresh 20-count charge bordering on fraudulent procurement and conspiracy were brought against him.
In October, The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, detained the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele. less than an hour after he regained his freedom from the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS.
Emefiele was later arraigned in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on six counts bordering on alleged breach of procurement procedure in the award of the contract to April1616 Investment Limited.
During the trial, the first prosecution witness admitted that Emefiele was not the owner or shareholder of the April1616 Investment Limited awarded the N1.2 billion vehicle supply contract by CBN under him.
Meanwhile, Emefiele Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the FCT High Court later awarded N100 million in damages to the suspended former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, against the Federal Government and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for violations of his rights.
Speaking on Emefiele’s illegal detention, Justice Adeniyi said: “The decision failed to take cognizance of the fact that the former CBN boss was held with a valid order of court. Consequently, the Commission will approach the Court of Appeal to set it aside,” he said.
Emefiele had dragged the Federal Government, Attorney-General of the Federation and EFCC to enforce his fundamental rights to life, personal liberty, fair hearing and freedom of movement.
The Commission, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court awarding N100 million damages against it in favour of former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and has vowed to upturn the verdict at the appeal court.
