The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear allegations of corruption, gratification, and fraudulent receipt of property leveled against the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Delivering the ruling on Wednesday, Justice Rahman Oshodi stated that the prosecution, led by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had successfully established the court’s territorial jurisdiction to entertain counts 8 to 20 of the 26-count charge against Emefiele.
This decision was based on evidence presented in the case file. However, the court upheld the defense’s argument that counts 1 to 4 of the charge were unconstitutional, as they were not grounded in any existing Nigerian law.
Emefiele was arraigned by the EFCC on April 8, 2024, on a 26-count charge that includes alleged abuse of office and irregular allocation of $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion.
The charges span alleged offenses such as: Abuse of office, contrary to Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011; Accepting gratification, contrary to Section 8 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000; Corrupt demand, contrary to Section 10 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000; Receiving property fraudulently obtained, contrary to Section 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2011; Conferring corrupt advantage, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
The case remains one of the most high-profile corruption trials in Nigeria, drawing significant public and media attention. Further proceedings will focus on counts 8 to 20 as the court navigates the legal complexities surrounding the case.
