The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, has arraigned former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, relating to alleged property fraud charges involving N7.8 billion and 753 housing units covering 150,462.86 square meters.
The arraignment occurred before Justice Yusuf Halilu of a FCT High Court, who eventually approved a N2 billion bail for Emefiele.
Nairametrics previously reported that the EFCC filed a suit marked CR/350/25, against Emefiele before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory
Among other allegations in the 8-count charge, Emefiele and Eric Ocheme are accused of unlawfully controlling and obtaining property situated at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, FCT, Abuja, consisting of 753 housing units measuring 150,462.86 square meters.
EFCC Charges
- The ex-CBN Governor is accused of knowingly having under his control the said property, which is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained, contrary to and punishable under Section 319(A) of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990.
- He is also accused of illegally transferring N167,300,000, N1,235,959,000, N2,945,331,050, N1,985,412,246, N900,000,000, and N600,000,000, totaling N7.8 billion, into a bank account domiciled with a financial institution.
Part of the charges reads:
“That you, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE and ERIC OCHEME (AT LARGE), between January and December 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly had under control the total sum of N167,300,000 (One Hundred and Sixty-Seven Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only) domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services account No: 1016232915 with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.”
“That you, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE and ERIC OCHEME (AT LARGE), between January and December 2020 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly had under control the total sum of N1,235,959,000 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty-Five Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand Naira) domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915 with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.”
Furthermore, Emefiele is accused of making a false document, contrary to Section 362(a) and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990, when he dishonestly executed a document titled “IRREVOCABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY BETWEEN MG PROPERTIES LIMITED AND HAND Y BUSINESS GLOBAL LIMITED” with the intention of causing it to be believed that the document was executed by or by the authority of H and Y Business Global Limited.
What transpired in court
At the court session on Monday, the charges were read to Emefiele, and he pleaded not guilty to them all.
His counsel, Mathew Burkaa SAN, subsequently applied for bail on liberal terms.
This was not opposed by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Halilu held that bail is a constitutional right.
The judge observed that the defendant(Emefiele) had been granted bail by two other judges, and he has not jumped bail in any of the proceedings.
“ I admit the defendant to bail on the terms and conditions that the defendant’s travel documents, which are already before Justice Muazu, are hereby attached as part of the condition.
“ The defendant shall provide two sureties who must be residents of Abuja within the jurisdiction of this court.
“ The sureties must own landed property within the jurisdiction of this court precisely in Asokoro, Maitama, and Wuse 2, which is valued at N2 billion,” he ruled.
- Halilu ordered the sureties to undertake to produce the defendant in court always all through his trial.
- He stressed that Emefiele should be remanded in prison if he later jumps bail.
- The matter was then adjourned until July 11.
What you should know
According to an earlier EFCC statement, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa physically inspected the property, which measures approximately 150,500 square meters and includes 753 housing units such as duplexes and apartments.
- The recovery followed a final forfeiture order granted by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on December 2, 2024.
- The forfeiture was based on provisions in Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
- The EFCC argued that the estate was acquired with proceeds of unlawful activity. This final forfeiture followed an earlier interim order secured in November 2024.
Justice Onwuegbuzie stated in his ruling that the respondent failed to justify ownership of the estate, which was “reasonably suspected to have been acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities.”
The Ministry has not yet announced a timeline for the sale, but is expected to provide more details once the estate assessment is completed.
Since the forfeiture order was issued by a Federal Capital Territory High Court, a court of first instance, the order may be challenged by disagreeing parties at the superior courts for final determination.
Reports indicate that Emefiele has appealed the final forfeiture order. The latest EFCC case introduces a criminal legal dimension to the acquisition, subject to the decisions of the High Court and superior courts.
