NIGERIA’S former central bank governor, Godwin Emefiele, is set to appear in a Lagos court on Monday following the filing of 26 fresh corruption charges against him by the country’s anticorruption body. These charges allege Emefiele’s involvement in misuse of authority and corrupt practices, adding to previous procurement fraud charges he denies.
Emefiele, who has been embroiled in legal battles, is already facing procurement fraud charges in another court in the capital Abuja. The charges stem from his detention by the Department of State Services in June last year. He was subsequently transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and granted bail in November.
The latest charges against Emefiele include accusations of receiving bribes, accepting gifts through intermediaries, engaging in corrupt practices, obtaining property fraudulently, and providing improper benefits to associates, as revealed by court documents.
Despite the gravity of the charges, a legal representative for Emefiele did not respond to requests for comment on the new allegations.
Emefiele’s suspension by President Bola Tinubu on June 9, followed by his arrest a day later, marked a significant turn of events. He later resigned in August, leading to the appointment of Olayemi Cardoso as the new central bank governor in September.
In a related development, a special investigator appointed by President Tinubu to probe the central bank’s affairs under Emefiele announced the completion of his work on Friday. However, the conclusions of his report have not been made public, leaving questions about the extent of corruption allegations within the central bank during Emefiele’s tenure.