Court dismisses Emefiele’s objection in $4.5bn, N2.8bn fraud trial

ADEKUNLE SULAIMON FROM PUNCH 

An Ikeja Special Offences Court has dismissed the plea application filed by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, challenging its jurisdiction to hear the $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Delivering the ruling on Wednesday, Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the court had jurisdiction over counts eight to 26, citing relevant legal authorities and evidence presented in the case file.

However, the court struck out counts one to four, which centred on abuse of office through the allocation of foreign exchange without bidding, noting that such actions were not punishable under Nigerian law.

“Allocation of foreign exchange without reason is not defined as an offence in any written law…