About five firms have been identified in association with the former detained Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
The embattled former governor was linked to the five firms in the 26-count charge of alleged fraud and corruption filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Amongst the five firms, four are located in Lagos, including NIPCO Plc, Source Computer Ltd, COMEC Support Services Ltd and Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd.
Emefiele has a pending prosecution at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja over his alleged corrupt activities as the CBN governor.
The fresh charges from a Lagos Court against him include abuse of office and irregular allocation of cumulative $4.5 billion and £2.8 billion while he was in office as CBN governor.
According to the EFCC, he corruptly received funds from NIPCO Plc and conferred corrupt advantage to his associates, including Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd, Adswin Resources Solution Ltd, and COMEC Support Services Ltd.
“Allocating forex of $2,136,391,737.33 without bid; allocating forex of $291,945,785.59 without bid; Abuse of office by special allocating of forex of $1,769,254,793.16; Abuse of office by special allocating of forex of $370,872,893.01; Corruptly received $26,552,000 from NIPCO Plc; Corruptly received $740,000 from NIPCO Plc.”
“Emefiele allegedly “corruptly received $400,000 from Source Computer Ltd as a kickback for contract award.”
Others include that he “Corruptly received $200,000 from Source Computer Ltd as kickback for contract award; Confer corrupt advantage on his associate, Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd to the tune of N900,216,324.21; Confer corrupt advantage on his associate, Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd to the tune of N1,060,030,249.42; Confer corrupt advantage on his associate, Comec Support Services Ltd to the tune of N149,001,009.7.”
“Also, the fresh charges filed include that Emefiele “Confer corrupt advantage on his associate, Comec Support Services Ltd to the tune of N151,168,458.73; Confer corrupt advantage on his associate, Adswin Resources Solution Ltd to the tune of N398,031,732.32; Confer corrupt advantage on his associate, Adswin Resources Solution Ltd to the tune of N204,992,739.51.” The details of the 18 fresh count charges against the former CBN Governor reads.
However, hence, Emefiele and his co-defendant Henry Omoile, both pleaded not guilty to all counts, the trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, ordered that Emefiele be remanded in the EFCC’s custody till the next adjourned date, Thursday, April 11, when the court will give its ruling on his bail application.