FORFEITURE ORDER: EFCC FILES FRESH 8-COUNT CHARGES AGAINST EMEFIELE
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By Oduola F.A.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sued a former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, for allegedly stealing and unlawfully acquiring 753 housing units located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokongoma District, Abuja.
In the eight new counts filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the anti-graft agency accused Emefiele of also holding possession of billions of naira in proxy accounts while serving as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s governor.
The commission stated that Emefiele allegedly conspired with Eric Ocheme, who is reportedly on the run, to acquire the properties in August 2021.
In the new charges, the commission alleged that between January and December 2019, Emefiele had ₦167 million in a proxy account with Zenith Bank in Abuja. Prosecutors said the sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
The EFCC further alleges that between January and December 2020, Mr Emefiele and his co-conspirator, Mr Ocheme, held ₦1.23 billion domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No. 1016232915 domiciled with Zenith Bank, stating that the sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
One of the charges reads: “That you GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE and ERIC OCHEME (AT LARGE) between January and December 2021 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly had under control the total sum of N2, 945,331,050 (Two Billion, Nine Hundred and Forty Five Million, Three Hundred and Thirty One Thousand Fifty Naira.) domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915 domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.”
In count five of the charges, EFCC said between January and December 2022, Mr Emefiele and his conspirator knowingly had under control the total sum of ₦1.98 billion domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915 domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
The Commission also stated that the former CBN Governor allegedly had ₦900 million in Ifedigo Integrated Services’ account No. 1210750237, domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
The EFCC further alleged that Mr Emefiele kept ₦600 million in an account, No. 1210750237, domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, at Ifedigo Integrated Services. “The sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained,” the commission said.
The EFCC had earlier obtained a court order to seize the entire estate and handed it over to the federal government last week.
However, Emefiele approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, praying that it set aside the judgment granting the government full control of the estate in Abuja, comprising 753 housing units.
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