Court to Rule on Emefiele's $4.5bn Fraud Case, Date, Other Details Emerge

• The Lagos state special offences court will rule on January 7, 2025, on Godwin Emefiele's objection to the $4.5bn fraud charges brought by the EFCC
• Emefiele’s lawyer argued the court lacked jurisdiction, stating the alleged offences occurred outside Lagos and were not legally recognised under the Nigerian Constitution
• The EFCC countered, asserting the court’s jurisdiction and linking the crimes to Lagos through evidence and witness testimonies

The Lagos state special offences court in Ikeja has scheduled January 7, 2025, to deliver its ruling on an objection raised by Godwin Emefiele, the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile.

They are facing 26 counts of fraud involving $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

At Thursday’s hearing, Emefiele's counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), challenged the court’s jurisdiction, stating that the alleged offences were committed outside Lagos.

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“The alleged offences are not legally recognised under Section 36(12) of the Nigerian Constitution,” Ojo argued, adding that Lagos laws lack legislative authority over such matters.

He urged the court to strike out four charges, emphasizing that they occurred outside the court’s jurisdiction, as reported by Vanguard.

EFCC defends charges against Emefiele

EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) countered the objections, asserting the court’s territorial and statutory authority.

“These are economic crimes well within the EFCC’s jurisdiction, and evidence ties the offences to Lagos,” Oyedepo said, arguing the defence’s claims were unsupported.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, after hearing arguments from both sides, adjourned the case to January 7, 2025, for a ruling on the jurisdictional objection, as reported by The Punch.

Forum raises alarm over alleged plans to re-arrest Emefiele

Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu had been accused of backing the re-arrest of the suspended CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, by the EFCC.

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A forum, NPF, raised the alarm in a statement on Thursday, adding that the move was a threat to democratic principles.

According to the group, the government, security agencies and other stakeholders must protect the sanctity of the judiciary.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng