The Special Offences Court in Lagos State has rejected a request from Godwin Emefiele, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) laid against a $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud charges against him by the EFCC.
In a ruling on Wednesday, Justice Rahman Oshodi upheld this court’s jurisdiction to try Emefiele and his codefendant, Henry Omoile, but dismissed four out of the 26 charges for want of jurisdiction. According to the judge, the distribution of foreign exchange without justification is not an offence as per any enactment law and this saw counts one to four being dismissed.
Judge Oshidi discarded the objections to the territorial jurisdiction of the court regarding counts eight to 26. The prosecution had established a sufficient territorial link to the case. The case will go on trial on February 24, 2025. Emefiele is accused of abuse of office and illegal allocation of funds. During court proceedings, Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN) the suspect’s lawyer stated that the alleged crimes committed were not recognized under Nigeria law. As well as, incidence took place outside the territorial jurisdiction of the court. He argued that the Lagos State House of Assembly had no legislative powers in that regard, and so the charges were unfounded.
The lawyer to the EFCC Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) countered that the alleged crimes are economic and financial in nature. Thus ought to fall within the EFCC. He contended that the offences were committed in Lagos and, therefore, there are reasonable grounds for the trial there.