By Ken Afor
Mrs. Margaret Emefiele, wife of the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged money laundering.
Mrs. Emefiele, along with three others, was declared wanted by the EFCC for allegedly conspiring with the former CBN Governor to convert huge sums of money belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a statement released by the anti-graft agency, Mr. Eric Odoh, Mrs. Anita Omoile, and her husband, Mr. Jonathan Omoile, were among the wanted persons for the alleged offence.
The statement reads, “The public is hereby notified that persons, whose photographs appear above are wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly conspiring with a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to convert huge sums of money belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria and committed felony to wit: Obtaining Money by False Pretences and Stealing contrary to and punishable under Sections 411, 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.”
Further details revealed that the embattled former CBN governor, Mr. Emefiele, who was granted bail last December, is being prosecuted by the EFCC for N1.8 billion and $6.2 million fraud.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government, in its third amended criminal charge of up to 20 counts filed against Mr. Emefiele, accused the former apex bank chief of impersonating the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to illegally obtain $6.2 million.
The amended charge, marked CR/577/2023, accused Mr. Emefiele of conniving with one Mr. Odoh Ocheme, who is now at large, to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN on February 8, 2023, claiming that the said money was requested by the SGF “via a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.”
The anti-graft agency stated that Emefiele, in the letter, allegedly claimed that the SGF requested the CBN to release “a contingent logistic advance in the sum of $6,230,000.00 in line with Mr. President’s directive.”
According to the anti-graft agency, Emefiele made the claim despite knowing that it was false “and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
In the amended charge, the anti-graft agency stated that Emefiele, in January 2023, allegedly forged a document titled: “Re: Presidential directive on foreign election observers mission” dated January 26, 2023, with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201. Mr. Emefiele allegedly connived with the fleeing Ocheme to commit the “illegal act to wit: forgery.”
Furthermore, the anti-graft agency claimed that Mr. Emefiele unlawfully awarded a contract for the renovation of a portion of the CBN Governor’s residence in Lagos to the tune of N99.8 million to his wife, Mrs. Margaret, and brother-in-law, Mr. Omoile Macombo.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the contract for the renovation of the CBN Governor’s residence, located at No. 2 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, was awarded to a company identified as Messrs. Architekon Nigeria Limited, where Emefiele’s wife and Mr. Macombo “are directors and majority shareholders.”
Consequently, the alleged action by Mr. Emefiele was a violation of Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, according to the anti-graft agency.
It is pertinent to note that in the initial charges filed against the former apex bank chief in August 2023, he was accused of committing procurement fraud to the sum of N6.5 billion alongside a female employee of the bank, Mrs. Sa’adatu Yaro, and her company, April 1616 Investment.
The contracts include the procurement of 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.
According to the contract as stated by the anti-graft agency, 37 Toyota Hilux vehicles at the cost of N854.7 million, one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99.9 million, one Toyota Landcruiser V8 at the cost of N73.8 million, and two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification vehicles at the cost of N44,200,000 were procured.
He was also alleged to have awarded Mrs. Yaro a contract for the procurement of two Toyota Landcruiser VXR V8 worth N138 million.
However, the charge was subsequently amended and reduced to six counts as Mrs. Yaro and her company, April 1616 Investment, were removed, and the figure of the procurement fraud was reduced to N1.2 billion.
