The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed fresh criminal charges against former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.
In the eight-count charge submitted at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, EFCC accused Emefiele of acquiring an estate comprising 753 housing units in Lokogoma District, Abuja.
According to the commission, the estate sits on Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, and spans over 150,000 square meters.
EFCC said Emefiele, in collaboration with Eric Ocheme, who is currently at large, purchased the estate in August 2021.
Without naming the supposed original owner, the commission had earlier secured a court order to seize the entire estate. The property has since been handed over to the federal government.
Billions allegedly stashed in proxy accounts over the years
In addition to the estate acquisition, the anti-graft agency alleged that Emefiele kept billions of naira in proxy accounts.
Between 2019 and 2022, EFCC traced a total of over N6 billion to various accounts allegedly controlled by Emefiele and Ocheme.
These include Zenith Bank accounts under the names of Kelvito Integrated Services and Ifedigo Integrated Services.
The EFCC said that Emefiele stashed N1.23 billion in one account in 2020 and another N2.95 billion in 2021.
In 2022, he and his co-conspirator allegedly held N1.98 billion in the same account. Additionally, N900 million and N600 million were kept in other accounts reasonably suspected to contain funds obtained through fraudulent means.
More charges and ongoing trials raise Emefiele’s legal woes
Emefiele’s legal troubles have grown since his arrest in June 2023 following his removal from office by President Bola Tinubu.
He is currently facing multiple corruption-related charges in both Lagos and Abuja. These include criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, and unauthorized foreign exchange transactions totaling $2 billion.
In the latest charge, EFCC accuses him of forging a legal document titled “Irrevocable Power of Attorney” in 2021 to misrepresent business dealings between MG Properties Limited and H and Y Business Global Limited.
Prosecutors claim this action violates several sections of Nigeria’s Penal Code.
The EFCC has called 24 witnesses to testify about Emefiele’s involvement in the estate acquisition.
The witnesses are expected to tender documents showing the former CBN chief’s role in developing the seized property.
