The ongoing trial of the immediate past Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), could not proceed today due to the absence of the prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, who sent a letter to the court requesting an adjournment, though the former CBN boss was also absent in court.
Emefiele is standing trial before Justice Hamza Muazu, sitting at Maitama, Abuja, on an amended 20-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, and obtaining money by false pretence.
He is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on behalf of the federal government.
The embattled Emefiele was, among others, alleged to have knowingly obtained by false pretence the sum of $6,230,000 purportedly meant for international election observers for the 2023 general election.
He was also accused of using his office as CBN governor to confer unfair and corrupt advantage on two companies: April 1616 Nigeria Ltd, said to belong to a staff member of CBN, Sa’adatu Ramallan Yero, and Architekon Nigeria Ltd, in which his wife, Margaret Omoile, and brother-in-law, MacCombo Omoile, are directors.
At the resumed hearing of the case today, neither the prosecuting counsel, Oyedepo SAN, nor Emefiele was in court.
Though the prosecutor sent a letter seeking an adjournment, no reason was given for the defendant’s absence, though he was represented by one of his lawyers in court.
The defendant’s counsel, I. D. Ahmed, told the court that the prosecution served them a letter praying for an adjournment.
Justice Hamza Muazu, however, asked about the defendant’s whereabouts, saying that despite the fact that the prosecutor sent a letter seeking an adjournment, the defendant should be in court.
Ahmed, however, apologised on Emefiele’s behalf for his (the defendant’s) absence in court today.
Justice Muazu then adjourned the case to June 24–25 for the continuation of the trial.
