$6.23m Fraud Case: Court Grants EFCC Final Chance To Produce Key Witness In Emefiele Trial

The trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, took a critical turn on Tuesday as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission one last adjournment to present its final witness.
Presiding judge, Justice Hamza Mu’azu, ruled that the testimony of the remaining witness was essential to the fair determination of the case, but stressed that no further delays would be tolerated.
Emefiele is facing an amended 20-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy, and obtaining money by false pretence. Central to the charges is an allegation that he fraudulently secured $6.23 million under the guise of funding international election observers for the 2023 general elections.
At the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel, Abbas Mohammed, told the court that efforts to secure the presence of the commission’s final witness, Eloho Edwin Okboziakpo, had been complicated by procedural requirements involving the Nigeria Police.
According to Mohammed, the witness—an investigator and serving police officer—was engaged in a separate garnishee proceeding in Gwagwalada and had requested formal clearance from the office of the Inspector-General of Police before appearing in court.
He added that the prosecution had already written to the police hierarchy, including the Assistant Inspector-General in charge of Legal, and urged the court to grant a final adjournment in the interest of justice.
The prosecution also sought the court’s permission to substitute an earlier exhibit with a 2019 document to streamline proceedings.
However, defence counsel, Mathieu Burkaa, opposed the request for adjournment, arguing against further delays in the trial.
In his ruling, Justice Mu’azu sided with the prosecution, emphasizing the importance of the witness to the case.
“The court will not deny the prosecution the opportunity, in the interest of justice, to present its final witness,” he held.
The case was subsequently adjourned to April 27 and 28, 2026, for the continuation of trial.