Emefiele Seeks Dismissal of EFCC Case Over Missing Witnesses

Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has urged an Abuja court to dismiss the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) case against him due to the failure of witnesses to appear. Emefiele is facing 20 counts of charges, including allegations of procurement fraud and financial crimes, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

During a recent court session, his legal team argued that the prosecution had already presented several witnesses and insisted that calling witnesses to repeat similar testimonies would not add value to the case. They requested the court to compel the prosecution to present the remaining witnesses or close the case.

The charges against Emefiele include criminal breach of trust, forgery, and abuse of office, linked to funds reportedly earmarked for international election observation during the 2023 general elections. The prosecution's investigation revealed that documents bore forged signatures, allegedly including those of former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

The court has reserved its final judgment on the matter.