The former governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, is being sued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing and illegally purchasing 753 housing units in Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokongoma District, Abuja.
The anti-graft organization charged Emefiele with having billions of naira in proxy accounts while he was governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria in eight fresh counts submitted to the Federal Capital Territory’s High Court in Abuja.
According to the commission, Emefiele allegedly plotted to buy the homes in August 2021 with fugitive Eric Ocheme.
The commission said in the additional allegations that Emefiele held ₦167 million in a proxy account with Zenith Bank in Abuja from January to December 2019. According to the prosecution, there is a reasonable suspicion that the money was obtained illegally.
The EFCC further claims that between January and December 2020, Mr. Emefiele and his accomplice, Mr. Ocheme, held ₦1.23 billion in Zenith Bank account No. 1016232915 belonging to Kelvito Integrated Services, and that it is reasonably suspected that the money was obtained illegally.
One of the charges reads: “That you GODWIN IFEANYI EMEFIELE and ERIC OCHEME (AT LARGE) between January and December 2021 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly had under control the total sum of N2, 945,331,050 (Two Billion, Nine Hundred and Forty Five Million, Three Hundred and Thirty One Thousand Fifty Naira.) domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915 domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.”
In count five of the charges, EFCC said between January and December 2022, Mr Emefiele and his conspirator knowingly had under control the total sum of ₦1.98 billion domiciled in Kelvito Integrated Services’ account No: 1016232915 domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
The Commission also stated that the former CBN Governor allegedly had ₦900 million in Ifedigo Integrated Services’ account No. 1210750237, domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, which sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
The EFCC further alleged that Mr Emefiele kept ₦600 million in an account, No. 1210750237, domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, at Ifedigo Integrated Services. “The sum is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained,” the commission said.
The EFCC had earlier obtained a court order to seize the entire estate and handed it over to the federal government last week.
However, Emefiele approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, praying that it set aside the judgment granting the government full control of the estate in Abuja, comprising 753 housing units.