Fraud Trial: Emefiele Challenges Court’s Jurisdiction

Godwin Emefiele

Godwin Emefiele, the embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, challenged the jurisdiction of an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Monday, to hear the alleged abuse of office and multi-billion dollars fraud levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Mr Olalekan Ojo, SAN, who led other counsel, appeared for Emefiele while Mr Kazeem Gbadamosi, SAN, appeared for the former CBN governor co-defendant, Henry Isioma-Omoil.

Ojo in his motion on notice dated April 24 argued that the court lacked the constitutional jurisprudence to hear the charge against Emefiele.

He said: “There is need to consider jurisdictional objections before allowing this case.

“This defendant ought not to be arraigned before this court on constitutional grounds.

“We are saying that charges against the first defendant are unconstitutional.

“I urge your lordship to toe the part of legality and constitutionality to determine this application.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, counsel led by Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, however, urged the court to dismiss the application of the first defendant counsel, as it was a course to delay justice.