The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has ruled to assume jurisdiction over the corruption case against Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), addressing charges of accepting gratification, making corrupt demands, and receiving fraudulently obtained property.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, Justice Rahman Oshodi affirmed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had successfully established that the court had territorial jurisdiction to hear counts 8 to 20 of the 26-count charge against Emefiele. This decision was based on the evidence presented during the trial.
However, the court also agreed with Emefiele’s defense lawyers that counts 1 to 4 of the charges were unconstitutional, as they did not correspond to any existing laws in Nigeria. The court struck out these specific counts.
Emefiele had been arraigned on April 8, 2024, facing 26 counts, including alleged abuse of office and the irregular allocation of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion. Counts 1 to 4 focused on alleged abuse of office, while counts 8 to 26 pertained to accusations of accepting bribes, corrupt demands, receiving fraudulent property, and conferring corrupt advantages.
Justice Oshodi noted that while counts 1 to 4 involved allegations of office abuse, the specific conduct detailed in those charges, such as the allocation of foreign exchange without a bid, is not defined as an offense in Nigerian law. As a result, the court dismissed these charges.
Regarding the remaining counts (8 to 26), the judge emphasized that the evidence provided was sufficient to affirm the court’s jurisdiction over these charges, dismissing any objections raised regarding the court’s territorial authority. He clarified that this ruling was only concerned with jurisdiction and did not address the substance of the allegations against Emefiele.
The court adjourned the case to February 24 and 26 for the continuation of the trial.
