By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) urges the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, to dismiss the no-case submission filed by a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, insisting that the evidence presented by the prosecution establishes a prima facie case requiring him to enter his defence.
Emefiele is facing an amended 20-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence, including allegations relating to the withdrawal of $6.23 million and the conferment of corrupt advantage in the award of CBN contracts.
Prosecution counsel, Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, argued that the purpose of a no-case submission was to determine whether the prosecution had established a prima facie case, not to determine the defendant’s guilt or evaluate the credibility of witnesses at that stage.
On the alleged $6.23 million withdrawal, the prosecution submitted that the money was withdrawn from the CBN between February and June before Emefiele’s removal from office, purportedly on the strength of letters attributed to former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
Oyedepo argued that evidence from witnesses, including Mustapha and a forensic analyst, showed that the letters used to facilitate the release of the funds were forged.
In opposing the application defence counsel, Mathew Burkaa, SAN, urges the court to discharge Emefiele, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish the essential ingredients of the matter.
Justice Hamza Mua’zu states that the date for ruling on the no-case submission would be communicated to the parties.
