Former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
FCT High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed 10 additional days to conclude the trial of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over alleged corruption linked to the naira redesign exercise.
Justice Maryanne Anenih fixed the dates following an agreement between counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), and Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN). The court scheduled February 3 and 10; April 1 and 2; May 11, 12, 13 and 14; as well as June 9 and 10 for the continuation and expected conclusion of the trial, which commenced in 2024.
Justice Anenih urged counsel on both sides to adhere strictly to the scheduled dates, assuring them that the court would make adequate provisions to ensure a smooth hearing throughout the period.
At the resumed hearing, an EFCC witness, Emere Chinedu, an operative of the anti-graft agency, told the court that the Presidency under former President Muhammadu Buhari had, in a letter to the EFCC, approved the redesign of the naira notes.
However, the witness clarified that the approval came with a condition. According to him, the Presidency’s response to the EFCC stated that the printing of the redesigned naira notes should be carried out locally, contrary to the offshore printing allegedly undertaken during Emefiele’s tenure as CBN governor.
Chinedu, who headed the Inter-Agency Probe Panel that investigated the former CBN boss, disclosed that Emefiele made six separate extra-judicial statements while appearing before the panel in his defence. He said the statements were made on October 26, 27, 30 and 31, as well as November 1 and 2, 2023.
“In the course of our job, we extended our investigation into the State House for record of approval for Naira Redesign. Response of the State House was communicated to the EFCC in writing.
“The State House gave approval for the Naira Redesign but with a provison that it must be done locally,” the witness said.
During cross-examination by Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), the EFCC operative declined to comment on Emefiele’s claim in one of his statements that a former EFCC Executive Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, was the first to suggest the naira redesign to President Buhari. He maintained that the EFCC had no authority to propose a change in the colour of the naira, noting that any such action could only be advisory.
On video clips tendered by the EFCC from various television stations showing Nigerians lamenting hardships during the naira redesign, the witness admitted that the videos predated the setting up of his probe panel. He explained that the clips were downloaded from the internet and tendered to demonstrate the injuries and suffering Nigerians experienced during the period.
He further told the court that he did not know any staff of the television stations that produced the videos and that no interviews were conducted with the stations or individuals featured in the clips.
Justice Anenih subsequently adjourned further cross-examination of the witness to February 3.
