The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed fresh charges against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, accusing him of stealing and unlawfully acquiring 753 housing units located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone C09, Lokogoma District, Abuja.
The anti-graft agency, in the eight-count charge filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, also alleged that Emefiele held billions of naira in proxy accounts during his tenure as CBN governor.
According to the EFCC, Emefiele conspired with a former CBN staff member, Eric Ocheme—who is currently at large—to fraudulently acquire the Abuja properties in August 2021.
In the new charges, the EFCC stated that Emefiele maintained a proxy account with Zenith Bank containing ₦167 million between January and December 2019, a sum the Commission claims is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
Further investigations by the EFCC revealed that between January and December 2020, Emefiele and Ocheme held ₦1.23 billion in a Zenith Bank account operated under the name Kelvito Integrated Services.
In count five of the charge, the Commission alleged that the duo had ₦1.98 billion under their control in another Kelvito Integrated Services account (No: 1016232915) at Zenith Bank Plc between January and December 2022—funds also suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Additionally, the EFCC said Emefiele kept ₦900 million in an account operated by Ifedigo Integrated Services (No. 1210750237) with Zenith Bank, and another ₦600 million in the same account, both sums also suspected to have been fraudulently acquired.
The Commission had last week secured a court order to seize the entire estate linked to Emefiele, subsequently transferring ownership to the federal government.
However, Emefiele has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking to overturn the judgment that granted the government full control of the controversial 753-unit estate.
The case is the latest in a string of legal troubles facing the embattled former apex bank chief, who has been under investigation for alleged financial misconduct during his tenure.
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