Twist As EFCC Declares Emefiele’s Wife, Three Others Wanted

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared four people, including Margaret Emefiele, the wife of former Nigerian Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, wanted for money laundering.

The other three individuals are Eric Odoh, Anita Omoile, and her husband, Jonathan Omoile.

The commission alleges that they conspired with the former CBN Governor to convert large amounts of money belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

They are accused of committing the crimes of obtaining money by pretenses and stealing, which are punishable under Sections 411, 287, and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

Details of their alleged money laundering offenses were revealed by the EFCC in a mugshot portrait of the four suspects late Friday night.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is currently seeking the whereabouts of Eric Odoh, Margaret Emefiele, Anita Omoile, and Jonathan Omoile for economic and financial offenses. The former CBN Governor, Emefiele, is also being prosecuted for ₦1.8bn and $6.2m fraud in Lagos State.

“If you have any information about them, please come forward and contact the nearest EFCC command or police station. Your information could be the key to bringing these individuals to justice and preventing further economic crimes. Let’s work together to make Nigeria a safer and more prosperous nation.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has for the third time amended the criminal charges it filed against Emefiele.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has been accused of fraudulently obtaining $6.2 million from the CBN by impersonating the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed an amended charge against Emefiele, accusing him of conspiring with Odoh Ocheme, who is currently on the run.

The charge is marked CR/577/2023 and was filed before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday. The EFCC alleges that Emefiele used a letter dated January 26, 2023, with reference number SGF.43/L.01/201 to obtain the money. This is a serious allegation of fraud and the EFCC is taking strong action against those accused.

According to the EFCC, Emefiele allegedly claimed that the SGF requested the CBN to release “a contingent logistic advance for $6,230,000.00 in line with Mr. President’s directive.”

The EFCC said Emefiele claimed to know that it was false, “and you thereby committed an offense 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.”

Still in the amended charge, the anti-graft agency alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled: “Re: Presidential directive on foreign election observers mission” dated January 26, 2023, with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.

He said to have allegedly connived with the fleeing Ocheme to commit the “illegal act to wit: forgery.”

Furthermore, Emefiele was accused of conferring corrupt advantage on his wife, Omoile Margret, and brother In-law, Omoile Macombo, by allegedly awarding a contract for the renovation of a portion of the CBN Governor’s residence in Lagos to the tune of N99.8m.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the contract for the renovation of the CBN Governor’s lodge, located at No. 2 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, was awarded to a company named Messrs. Architekon Nigeria Limited, “wherein the duo are directors and majority shareholders.”

The EFCC said Emefiele’s alleged action was a violation of Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

The amended charge sheet contains a total of 20 counts against Emefiele.

The judge adjourned till Friday for Emefiele to take his plea on the amended charges.

In the original charge filed against him in August 2023, Emefiele was accused of perpetrating procurement fraud to the tune of N6.5bn.

He was then charged alongside a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro, and her company, April 1616 Investment.

The EFCC later amended the charge by reducing the counts to six, removing the names of Yaro and April 1616 Investment, and reducing the quantum of the alleged procurement fraud to N1.2bn.

Emefiele was arraigned on the second charge on November 29, 2023, and he pleaded not guilty.

The EFCC subsequently opened its trial and had so far called three witnesses before the latest amendment.