Erstwhile Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has been accused of approving the printing of ₦684,590,000 at the rate of ₦18.96 billion.
This is a fresh charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
It was alleged that the immediate-past apex bank chief acted outside the ambit of the law with intent to harm the populace during his implementation of the naira swap policy of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The anti-graft agency also accused Emefiele of willfully and unlawfully directing the removal of the sum of ₦124.8 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.
Counts one to four of the charge, read, “STATEMENT OF OFFENCE: Public Servant disobeying direction of law with intent to cause injury to the public contrary to and punishable under Section 123 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990.
“PARTICULARS OF THE OFFENCE: That you GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of ₦375,520,000.00 pieces of colour swapped N1, 000, at the total cost of ₦11,052, 068,062 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”
“COUNT 2: “That you, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE, between the 19th of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 172,000,000 pieces of colour swapped ₦500 (Five Hundred Naira) Notes, at the total cost of ₦4, 471,066,040 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.
“COUNT 3: “That you GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE between the 19th day of October 2022 and 5th March 2023 in Abuja, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 19 of the CBN Act, 2007, by approving the printing of 137,070,000 pieces of colour swapped ₦200 (Two Hundred Naira) Note, at the total cost of ₦3, 441, 005, 280 without the recommendation of the Board of Central Bank and the strict approval of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”
“COUNT 4: “That you, GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE, on or about the 7th day of October 2020, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly disobeyed the direction of Section 80 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), by approving the withdrawal of the total sum of ₦124, 860, 227, 865.16 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation in a manner not prescribed by the National Assembly, which conduct of yours caused injury to the public and you thereby committed an offence.”
The document dated April 2, 2024, and marked Suit No: CR/264/2024, was filed by EFCC’s ace prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
It also revealed that Emefiele will be arraigned on a fresh four-count charge bordering on disobeying the law to punish Nigerians, iilegal printing of money, abuse of office, among others.
He will be arraigned before Justice Hamza Muazu.
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