Court remands former CBN Governor Emefiele in EFCC custody

After Godwin Emefiele was arraigned for suspected abuse of authority, Justice Rahman Oshodi of an Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos yesterday placed him under remand in the care of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). 

After Emefiele entered a not guilty plea to 23 counts of abuse of power, taking gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property receipt totaling $4.8 billion and N2.8 billion, Justice Oshodi remanded Emefiele.

The EFCC in the charge alleged that Emefiele abused the authority of his office as CBN Governor by allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2,136,391,737.33 without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”

Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the prosecutor for the EFCC, requested a trial date from the court after the defendants entered a not guilty plea. 

However, in two bail requests, Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, the defence attorney, pleaded with the judge to release the first defendant on self-recognition or, alternatively, on lenient conditions till the case was heard and decided. 

Additionally, Labi-Lawal petitioned the court to grant the second defendant bail on liberal terms and moved the motion for bail.

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