Olushola Omogbehin
An Abuja High Court has fixed the dates for the conclusion of the trial of corruption against the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, over the naira redesign.
Following an agreement between counsel to the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, and counsel to Emefiele, Mr Olalekan Ojo, SAN on Wednesday, Justice Maryann Anenih fixed ten days for the final trial.
The dates fixed for the trial filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which commenced in 2024 are February 3 and 10; April 1 and 2; May 11, 12, 13, and 14; as well as June 9 and 10.
During proceedings on Wednesday, an operative of the EFCC who was a witness of the anti-graft agency, Mr Emere Chinedu, said that the Presidency, under President Muhammadu Buhari, in a letter to the EFCC, granted approval to Emefiele to redesign the naira notes.
Contrary to the letter of presidency to the EFCC which stated that the printing of the new notes should be done locally, the printing was done outside Nigeria by the former CBN governor.
According to a Daily Post report, Chinedu, who headed the inter-agency probe panel that investigated the former CBN boss, disclosed that Emefiele, in the course of appearing before the panel, made six separate extrajudicial statements to present his defence on October 26, 27, 30, and 31, as well as November 1 and 2, 2023.
“In the course of our job, we extended our investigation to the State House for records of approval for the naira redesign. The response of the State House was communicated to the EFCC in writing.
“The State House gave approval for the naira redesign, but with a proviso that it must be done locally,” the witness said.
Cross-examined by Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, EFCC witness declined to answer claims by Emefiele in one of his statements that Abdulrasheed Bawa, a former Executive Chairman of the EFCC, was the first person to suggest the naira redesign to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Instead, the witness said that the EFCC has no power to propose a change in the colour of the naira, anything done in that regard must be advisory.
On the hardship Nigerians went through which was contained in many video clips from various television stations across the country, and tendered by the EFCC, he said the videos had existed before his probe panel was set up by Government, that he does not know any staff of the television stations who prepared the contents of the videos.
