A Special Offences Court in Ikeja, on Monday remanded the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, for alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds in the sum of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Rahman Oshodi remanded Emefiele in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody while his co-defendant, Henry Isioma-Omoile, was remanded in the Ikoyi custodial centre.
Pending the determination of their bail applications on April 11, Justice Oshodi adjourned the case, remanding the defendants.
The EFCC had earlier arraigned Emefiele on a 23-count charge bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained and conferring corrupt advantage.
His co-defendant was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on acceptance of gift/bribes by agents.
The defendants pleaded not guilty, prompting the EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) to ask the court for a trial date and closed section for some of its witnesses who were willing to come to court to testify but scared for their lives.
However, Counsel to the two defendants, Mr Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, had in their bail applications, urged the court to grant them bail on self recognizance and liberal terms pending the determination of the case, insisting that the charges against the first defendant were bailable.
Meanwhile, Oyedepo, charged the court to exercise its discretion judiciously in granting bail to the defendants.
The 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.
The commission also accused the ex-CBN governor of corruptly accepting an aggregate sum of $26.5 million from NIPCO Plc through Donatone Ltd.
The EFCC alleged that Emefiele received 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.
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.