By Damilare Adeleye
The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has on Monday adjourned the ruling on the bail application filed by Godwin Emefiele, former Central Bank of Nigeria’s Governor.
It was learnt that Emefiele arrived at the court for his arraignment earlier on Monday morning over alleged abuse of office.
Emefiele was arraigned along with his co-defendant, Henry Isioma Omole, on 26 counts before Justice Rahman Oshodi.
The former governor of the apex bank pleaded not guilty to the charges against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Oshodi ordered Emefiele to be put in EFCC custody.
Regarding Omole, the judge ordered that he should remain in the Ikoyi Correctional Facility pending the determination of his bail application.
They are to be remanded till April 11 for the ruling on the bail application and commencement of trial.
The charge marked ID/23787c/2024 and dated April 3, 2024, was filed by Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
EFCC alleged that Emefiele “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2,136,391,737.33 without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”
EFCC further alleged that Emefiele, between 2020 and 2021, in Lagos, “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary, act to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $291,945,785.59, without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians”.