Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Special Offences Court on Monday remanded the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, for alleged abuse of office.
Oshodi remanded Emefiele in EFCC custody while his co-defendant, Henry Isioma-Omoile, was remanded in Ikoyi Custodial Centre where he is currently held pending the determination of their bail application on April 11.
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.
The defendants counsel, Mr A. Labi-Lawal, had in his two bail application urged the court to grant the defendants bail on self recognition and on liberal terms pending the determination on the case.
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Labi-Lawal, in his 31 affidavits, said the first defendant (Emefiele) had complied with the bail application which was given to him by Justice Muazu in his alleged fraud trial case going on in Abuja.
He said the charges were bailable offences and not a capital offence.
“Though the first defendant was granted administrative bail by the prosecuting authority.
“He is seeking for bail based on self recognition and he is ready to attend the court.
“The court should also take into consideration, the status of the first defendant as he was the former CBN governor of the country,” he said.
The defence counsel said his client had religiously presented himself before Justice Muazu in Abuja to answer the allegations before him.
According to him, the first defendant was not at flight risk, as he was the first person to arrive in court.
He also prayed the court to release Emefiele to lawyer, pending the determination of the bail.
Emefiele and his co-defendant pleaded not guilty to the 26-count charge bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property receipt.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty, following their arraignment. The EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), did not oppose the bail application moved by the defence counsel.
Oyedepo, however, urged the court to exercise its discretion judiciously in granting bail to the defendants.
The prosecution had asked the court for a trial date, following the plea of 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.
