Breaking: Court Sets New-Date For Former CBN-Governor Emefiele’s Trial (Details)

Breaking: Court Sets New-Date For Former CBN-Governor Emefiele’s Trial (Details)

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama has scheduled October 21 for the next phase of the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele. This decision follows the conclusion of the cross-examination of the ninth prosecution witness, Abibia Ockiya-Ogeleye.

During the session, presiding judge Justice Hamza Muazu heard from Ockiya-Ogeleye, a practising attorney, who responded to questions from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo. Ockiya-Ogeleye detailed her services to Architekon Nigeria Limited in 2021, including preparing the company’s annual report and modifying its leadership and ownership structure.

She presented several documents as evidence, such as a CAC document listing the company’s shareholders and a resolution approving Esther Oyeladun Adeoun’s appointment as a director. Justice Muazu accepted all the documents as evidence.

In cross-examination, defence counsel Mathew Burkaa (SAN) questioned Ockiya-Ogeleye about her interactions with the company’s directors and the authenticity of their signatures on the documents, to which she confirmed she did not witness the signatures being made.

Earlier, prosecution witnesses, including a Zenith Bank Compliance Officer named Mr. Umar Tilda, presented Emefiele’s bank documents, revealing transactions between Emefiele’s account and Architekon. Tilda, however, could not provide details on the purpose of these transactions.

The court postponed further trial proceedings to October 21 and scheduled a hearing for July 8 to address Emefiele’s request to obtain his passport for medical treatment abroad.

Emefiele faces a 20-count indictment from the EFCC, accusing him of leveraging his position as CBN Governor for corrupt advantages benefitting his spouse, colleagues, and two companies: April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd.