•Godwin Emefiele and EFCC logo
Abuja High Court, yesterday, fined the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) N500,000 for repeatedly seeking adjournments in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
The trial judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, imposed the fine after the prosecution failed to produce its 13th witness, DCP Edwin Okpoziakeo, who was scheduled to testify, reports The Guardian.
Emefiele is standing trial on charges bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, and obtaining money by false pretence while serving as CBN governor.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Emefiele fraudulently obtained $6.23 million, purportedly meant for international election observers during the 2023 General Elections.
The EFCC also accused the former apex bank chief of conferring corrupt advantages on two companies, namely April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd.
Emefiele, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
At yesterday’s proceedings, EFCC counsel A.O. Mohammed told the court that the witness could not appear due to administrative procedures.
According to him, the witness had been directed by the Force Headquarters to appear only after a formal request was sent to the Inspector-General of Police.
Mohammed said he complied with the directive by writing the required letter, adding that the witness later informed him that he was attending to a personal matter in another court in Gwagwalada, where his personal bank account was reportedly under a garnishee order.
Mohammed, therefore, urged the court to grant another adjournment to enable the prosecution to present the witness.
However, Matthew Burkaa, counsel to Emefiele, strongly opposed the application.
Burkaa cited Sections 396(3) and (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, which limit the number of adjournments each party may seek during trial.
He argued that the prosecution had already been granted eight adjournments, exceeding the statutory limit of five.
According to him, the EFCC had earlier requested an accelerated hearing of the case but had repeatedly delayed proceedings.
In his ruling, Justice Muazu agreed with the defence that the prosecution had sought multiple adjournments.
However, he noted that the court still retained the discretion to grant adjournments in the interest of justice, particularly where the testimony of an investigator was considered material to the case.
The judge consequently imposed a N500,000 fine on the EFCC for delaying the trial despite earlier assurances of accelerated proceedings.
The matter was adjourned till April 27 for the continuation of the trial.
