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A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama has imposed a N500,000 fine on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for causing repeated delays in the corruption trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.
Trial judge Justice Hamza Muazu handed down the penalty on Tuesday after the prosecution failed to present its 13th witness, DCP Edwin Okpoziakeo, who was expected to testify.
Emefiele faces an amended 20-count charge alleging criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, and obtaining money by false pretence during his time as CBN governor.
The EFCC claims he fraudulently secured $6.23 million, said to be for international election observers in the 2023 general elections, and conferred corrupt advantages on companies April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd.Emefiele has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
During Tuesday's session, EFCC counsel A.O. Mohammed explained the witness's absence, citing administrative hurdles: the witness required a formal request from the Inspector-General of Police per Force Headquarters directives, and had later cited a personal court appearance in Gwagwalada over a garnishee order on his bank account.
Mohammed requested another adjournment to secure the witness's appearance.Emefiele's lawyer, Matthew Burkaa (SAN), opposed the request, invoking Sections 396(3) and (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which cap adjournments per party at five from arraignment to judgment.
He noted the prosecution had already received eight adjournments, despite previously pushing for an accelerated trial.
In his ruling, Justice Muazu acknowledged the prosecution's multiple requests for adjournments but emphasized the court's discretion under the ACJA to grant them when necessary for justice especially given the material nature of an investigator's testimony.
However, the judge criticized the delays despite the earlier grant of accelerated proceedings and imposed the N500,000 cost on the EFCC as a sanction.
The court described the adjournment as final for the prosecution to produce its witnesses and adjourned the case to April 27, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
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