The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a fresh charge at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory against Godwin Emefiele, the embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. In the new charge, the EFCC accused Emefiele of approving the printing of N684,590,000 at the rate of N18.96 billion, which it alleges was illegal.
According to the charge sheets seen by PUNCH Online, the EFCC accused Emefiele of breaking the law with intent to harm the public during his implementation of the naira swap policy of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. The agency also accused Emefiele of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of N124.8 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.
The document, dated April 2, 2024, and marked Suit No: CR/264/2024, was filed by EFCC’s top prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN. It revealed that Emefiele will be arraigned on a new four-count charge before Justice Hamza Muazu. The charges include disobeying the law to punish Nigerians, illegal printing of money, abuse of office, among others.
The EFCC alleges that Emefiele knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of N375,520,000.00 pieces of color-swapped N1,000 notes, N172,000,000 pieces of color-swapped N500 notes, and N137,070,000 pieces of color-swapped N200 notes without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Recall that Emefiele was previously arraigned on November 18, 2023, on six counts of procurement fraud, and on April 8, 2024, for an alleged $4.5bn and N2.8bn fraud.
