The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, imposed a N500,000 fine on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for delaying former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele’s corruption trial.
The judge, Hamza Muazu, imposed the fine after the EFCC failed to produce its next prosecution witness, stalling the proceedings scheduled for Tuesday.
The EFCC is prosecuting Mr Emefiele on 20 amended counts, including criminal breach of trust, forgery, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
It accused the former CBN governor of conferring corrupt advantages on two companies—April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd.
It also accused him of a fraudulent payment of $6.23 million from the CBN vault in Abuja in 2023, under the guise of payments for fictitious foreign election observers’ expenses.
Mr Emefiele denied all charges.
Trial judge Hamza Muazu adjourned the matter until Tuesday after EFCC’s 12th prosecution finished testifying on Monday.
The EFCC was supposed to present its 13th prosecution witness on Tuesday.
However, the proposed witness, Edwin Okpoziakeo, a deputy commissioner of police who took part in the investigation of the case, was absent from court.
The prosecution lawyer, A.O. Mohammed, informed the court that the witness, though notified of the need for his presence in court, was not in available due to administrative procedures.
He told the court that he was directed by the Force Headquarters to write a formal letter to the Inspector-General of Police requesting the presence of Mr Okpoziakpo.
He said that he promptly wrote the letter as directed.
He said Mr Okpoziakpo later told him that he had a personal matter in another court in Gwagwalada, FCT, where his personal account was under garnishee order.
The prosecution lawyer, therefore, pleaded with the court to grant him an adjournment to produce the witness in court
However, defence lawyer Matthew Burkaa, vehemently opposed the request for adjournment.
Mr Burkaa referred the court to Section 396(3) and (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which limited each party to only five adjournments from the arraignment till final judgment.
He said EFCC had been granted adjournments eight times as against the provisions of the law.
He added that the prosecution made its choice by allowing the witness to choose personal matter above the official engagement.
Mr Burkaa argued that the anti-graft agency requested accelerated trial of the case.
He added that between 2023 to date, the court had indulged the prosecution with eight adjournements and prayed the court not to grant any more.
The judge agreed with the defence counsel but stated that the court still retains the discretion to grant an adjournment in the interest of justice.
He held that an investigator was not one that should be shut out in a matter of that nature.
But he imposed a fine of N500,000 on the anti-graft agency for delaying the trial in spite of being granted accelerated hearing.
Mr Muazu then adjourned until 27 April for continuation of the trial.
Backstory
Earlier on Monday, an EFCC investigator testified that Mr Emefiele was not a signatory to the accounts of two companies to which he allegedly awarded the Bank’s contracts corruptly.
“My evidence never mentioned April 1616; however, the defendant (Mr Emefiele) is not a signatory to the account of April 1616. I cannot remember if he is a director or shareholder,” said the investigator, David Jaiyeoba, who is the 12th prosecution witness in Mr Emefiele’s corruption trial.
The prosecution witness added that the defendant was neither a signatory, director nor shareholder of Archiketon Nigeria Limited.
He said this while Mr Emefiele’s lawyer, Matthew Burkaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), cross-examined him.
The EFCC is prosecuting Mr Emefiele on 20 amended counts, including criminal breach of trust, forgery, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
It accused the former CBN governor of conferring corrupt advantages on two companies—April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd.
April 1616 allegedly belonged to Sa’adatu Ramalan-Yaro, who was said to be an associate of Mr Emefiele CBN employee.
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The 10th prosecution witness, Salawu Gana, who is a former head of procurement department at the CBN, testified in February 2025, that bidding information for CBN contracts was leaked to Ms Ramalan-Yaro and April 1616 Investment Limited. The alleged corrupt transactions allegedly took place between 2018 and 2020 while Mr Emefile was the CBN governor.
EFCC initially arraigned Mrs Ramalan-Yaro alongside Mr Emefiele as a co-defendant. However, an amendment to the case in 2024 discharged her from the trial, while the number of charges against Mr Emefiele was reduced from 20 to six.
Other charges against Mr Emefiele include the alleged fraudulent payout of $6.23 million from the CBN vault in Abuja in 2023, under the guise of payments for fictitious foreign election observers’ expenses.
(NAN)