Godwin Emefiele, the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, requested to go to the United Kingdom for a medical examination; however, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja, denied his motion on Tuesday.
Emefiele’s request for the return of his passport was denied by Justice Hamza Muazu, who stated that the former head of the top bank was unable to provide enough evidence to support his claim that the medical travel was necessary and inevitable.
Emefiele is on trial before the judge on twenty modified counts that involve forgery, obtaining property under false pretenses, and procurement fraud.
Although Emefiele entered a not guilty plea to the allegations, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission maintained that he committed the crimes while serving as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Additionally, he faces charges of abusing his position as governor of the CBN to give unfair and corrupt advantages to April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd. According to the amended charge, Emefiele knowingly obtained $6,230,000.00 under false pretenses on February 8, 2023, by falsely claiming that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had requested the CBN to provide a contingent logistic advance in the amount of $6,230,000 “in line with Mr. President’s directive” in a letter dated January 26, 2023 with reference number SGF 43/L.01/201.
