EFCC arraigns Emefiele for stealing, unlawful acquisition of 753 housing units

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday arraigned former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele on fresh charges of unlawful acquisition of the recovered 753 housing units.

The anti-corruption agency accused Mr Emefiele of stealing, and forgery, among others, in the eight counts brought against him at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

He pleaded not guilty to all eight counts.

The judge, Yusuf Halilu, subsequently granted him bail.

Earlier arguing Mr Emefiele’s bail application, defence lawyer Matthew Bukar contended that the defendant is a well-known figure standing trial in three other courts, where he has consistently attended trial while on bail.

But EFCC’s prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, pleaded with the court to set bail conditions other than the ones imposed by other judges in the other trials taking into cognisance the peculiarity of the case.

The judge, Mr Halilu, granted the defendants bail, agreeing with the grounds canvassed by the defence lawyer.

“The defendant has been arraigned before (judges) Hamza Muazu and Maryanne Anenih, was granted bail and there is no information that he has jumped bail…the defendant has demonstrated utmost good faith,” Mr Halilu said.

The judge then went on to set the bail conditions, including the submission of the defendant’s travel documents, currently being held as part of the bail conditions granted by Mr Muazu.

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For the fresh bail, Mr Halilu ordered Mr Emefiele to produce two sureties who must be resident in Abuja. He ordered that each of the sureties must possess landed properties valued at N2 billion in any of Wuse, Maitama, Asokoro, and Life Camp areas of Abuja.

The sureties are to ensure the defendant’s presence in court throughout his trial. The judge warned that failure of the defendant to attend trial could earn his sureties an imprisonment and forfeiture of their properties put forward as bail bonds.

Mr Emeifele’s lawyer pleaded with the court to allow seven days to perfect the bail conditions.

But the judge refused the plea. He insisted the conditions must be met “between now and Wednesday,” warning that “failure to do so, the defendant goes back to prison.”

Background

Last month, EFCC charged Mr Emefiele, naming Eric Ocheme as a co-suspect on the run, with stealing and acquisition of multimillion dollars properties in Abuja.

The agency accused Mr Emefiele of unlawfully acquiring an estate with 753 housing units and keeping possession of billions of naira in proxy accounts, while he was serving as the CBN governor.

The commission said Mr Emefiele connived with Mr Ocheme to acquire the properties in August 2021.

The estate is located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, FCT, Abuja measuring 150,462.86 SQM. The estate comprised 753 housing units.

Without disclosing the owner of the estate, the EFCC had earlier obtained a court order to seize the entire estate. The agency handed over the estate to the federal government last month.

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However, Mr Emefiele approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, praying it to set aside the judgement granting the government full control of the estate in Abuja comprising 753 housing units.

The commission alleged in the fresh charges against the CBN governor that between January and December 2019 in Abuja, he domiciled N167 million in a proxy account with Zenith Bank. Prosecutors said the sum is suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.

The case is the latest in the series of trials Mr Emefiele is facing since his removal from office in 2023.

He is currently standing trial before two judges in Abuja and another one in Lagos.