Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to produce its witness against former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in the alleged procurement fraud case, or risk having the case closed.
The judge set April 27 as the adjourned date for the EFCC to present its witness, warning that failure to comply would compel the court to act in accordance with the law. Justice Muazu also imposed a N500,000 fine on the EFCC for failing to produce its previous witness, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Elohor Edwin Okpoziakeo, during Tuesday’s proceedings.
DCP Okpoziakeo, who investigated Emefiele, was absent due to attending to personal matters despite prior notification. EFCC counsel, A.O. Mohammed, informed the court that the witness’s absence was linked to administrative procedures, including a formal request to the Inspector-General of Police for his court appearance. Mohammed described the DCP as vital to the trial, having worked closely with the Special Panel that investigated the defendant, and requested an adjournment to secure his testimony.
The request was opposed by Emefiele’s counsel, Matthew Burkaa, SAN, who argued that EFCC had already exceeded the five adjournments allowed under Section 396(3) and (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. Burkaa noted that EFCC had obtained eight adjournments, while Emefiele had fully cooperated with the accelerated trial process and never requested a delay.
Justice Muazu acknowledged that the statutory limit had been exceeded but emphasized the court’s discretion to grant adjournments in the interest of justice. He fined EFCC N500,000 for delaying proceedings and adjourned the trial to April 27 and 28.
Emefiele faces an amended 20-count charge brought by EFCC on behalf of the Federal Government, including criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, and obtaining money by false pretence. He is accused of unlawfully receiving $6,230,000 intended for international election observers for the 2023 general election and conferring corrupt advantages on two companies, April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd. The former CBN governor has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
