The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has scheduled January 7, 2025, as the hearing date for former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele’s challenge to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud accusations against him.
Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are facing 26 charges brought by the EFCC before Justice Rahman Oshodi.
At Thursday’s hearing, Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), claimed that the court lacked geographical jurisdiction to hear the issue in Lagos.
He claimed that the alleged offences, including abuse of office, occurred beyond the jurisdiction of the Ikeja Special Offences Court.
Ojo insisted that the allegations breached Section 36(12) of the Nigerian Constitution, claiming that the accused conduct was not legally recognised offences.
He further contended that the Lagos State House of Assembly lacks legislative jurisdiction over matters on the Exclusive Legislative List, rendering Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 inapplicable to the case.
He urged the court to dismiss charges one through four of the amended charge sheet filed on April 4, 2024, because the alleged offences occurred outside the court’s jurisdiction.
In response, EFCC attorney Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) upheld the court’s authority to hear the matter.
He said that the allegations were economic and financial crimes under the EFCC’s authority and that evidence pointed to Lagos as the appropriate place for the trial.
Oyedepo stated that the offences occurred within the court’s territorial jurisdiction, with evidence and witness testimony supporting Lagos as the suitable venue for the proceedings.
He argued that the defence’s claims lacked factual and evidentiary validity.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Oshodi delayed the case until January 7, 2025, to rule on the objection.
