December 05, (THEWILL) – The trial of the former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, before Justice Maryan Anenih at the Maitama Division of the FCT High Court, in Abuja, was stalled on Thursday following a technical glitch experienced during the appearance of a prosecutor witness, who joined the court proceedings via Zoom.
However, Justice Anenih adjourned until January 25, 2025, for a continuation of the trial.
THEWILL reports that the Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 15, arraigned Emefiele on a four-count charge bordering on alleged violation of procedure on the redesigned naira notes.
The EFCC had alleged that the former apex bank Chief, acting in violation of law and “with intent to cause injury to the public”, printed the new naira notes without the approval of the CBN Committee of Governors and its Board before seeking the authority of former President, Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the charges, the EFCC specifically accused Emefiele of obtaining Presidential approval for the currency redesign before the approval of the COG and the Board.
However, Emefiele had earlier in his plea, denied the charge.
Earlier, a former deputy governor of the CBN in charge of economic policy, Dr Kingsley Obiora, who is standing as a prosecutor witness for the EFCC, told the court on November 14, that the apex bank’s Committee of Governors (COG) and its board, indeed ratified the Presidential approval for the redesigned naira notes.
Obiora further clarified that other than the President’s approval for currency redesign, the Committee of Governors had severally implemented Presidential requests for disbursement of funds to Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon and the Nigerian Military in defence of Nigerian security prior to COG and Board approvals.
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