The Lagos State Special Offences Court has affirmed its jurisdiction to hear several charges against former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, including allegations of accepting bribes, corrupt demands, and receiving fraudulently obtained property.
Delivering the ruling on Wednesday, Justice Rahman Oshodi stated that the court has territorial jurisdiction over counts 8 to 20 of the 26-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge, however, struck out counts 1 to 4, describing them as unconstitutional because they are not based on any existing Nigerian laws.
The EFCC had charged Emefiele with offences including abuse of office and the misallocation of $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion.
While counts 1 to 4 alleged general abuse of office in foreign exchange allocations, Justice Oshodi ruled that such acts are not recognised as offences under any written Nigerian law.
The court upheld the prosecution’s argument for counts 8 to 20, confirming that the evidence presented sufficiently established the court’s jurisdiction to hear these charges.
Justice Oshodi clarified that his decision pertains solely to jurisdictional matters and does not address the substance of the allegations.
The case has been adjourned to February 24 and 26, 2024, for trial to proceed on the remaining counts.
