Emefiele challenges court jurisdiction in alleged fraud case

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on Monday challenged the authority of the Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, to handle his trial for alleged abuse of office.

Emefiele was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) for alleged abuse of office and multi-billion dollar fraud.

The defendant’s lead counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), in his presentation argued that the court lacks the necessary legal foundation (constitutional jurisprudence) to hear the charges against his client.

Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN) appeared on behalf of Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Isioma-Omoil.

Ojo said: ”There is need to consider jurisdictional objection before allowing this case.

“This defendant ought not to be arraigned before this court on constitutional grounds.

“We are saying that charges against the first defendant is unconstitutional.

“I urge your lordship to toe the part of legality and constitutionality to determine this application.”

READ ALSO:Emefiele awarded multi-billion naira contracts to wife, inlaw, witness tells court

The EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), however, urged the court to dismiss the defence application as it was a course to delay justice.

He said the approach was intended to take up from where the prosecution was coming from.

According to him, a collective resolution as a nation is to prevent undue delay in criminal matters.

“Your lordship, trial has commenced and witnesses have been assembled in court today to give evidence.

“The application of the first defendant is unconstitutional as this is a means to draw us backward.

“I humbly urge the court to discountenance the submission of defence on jurisdiction and allow the trial to continue,” Oyedepo said.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, however, rejected Emefiele’s request to discontinue the hearing.

He deferred ruling on the preliminary objection to final judgment stage.

The judge noted that when the embattled former CBN governor was a arraigned on April 8, the prosecution informed the court of an accelerated hearing in which the defense did not object.

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