Ikeja Court Dismisses Emefiele’s Plea on Jurisdiction in $4.5 Billion Fraud Case
An Ikeja Special Offences Court has dismissed the plea application filed by former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, which challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear the fraud case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The case involves allegations of a $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud.
Justice Rahman Oshodi delivered the ruling on Wednesday, stating that the court had jurisdiction over counts eight to 26 of the case, based on the relevant legal authorities and evidence presented by the prosecution. However, the judge struck out counts one to four, which related to abuse of office for allegedly allocating foreign exchange without bidding. The court found that such actions were not punishable under Nigerian law, as the allocation of foreign exchange without justification is not defined as an offence in any written law.
“The objection to counts one to four succeeds and is hereby struck out. The objection challenging the court’s territorial jurisdiction over counts eight to 26 fails and is hereby dismissed,” Justice Oshodi stated. “The prosecution has established sufficient territorial nexus in this case.”
The court has now adjourned the trial to February 24, 2025, for further proceedings.
