A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has fixed ten additional trial dates to conclude corruption charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, over the naira redesign policy.
Justice Maryann Anenih set the dates on Wednesday after both parties agreed to an accelerated hearing schedule. The dates are February 3 and 10; April 1 and 2; May 11, 12, 13 and 14; and June 9 and 10. The trial, which began in 2024, is expected to end within this period.
The judge urged counsel to adhere strictly to the schedule and assured them of the court’s full cooperation to ensure the matter is concluded without delay.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, an EFCC witness, Emere Chinedu, told the court that the Presidency under former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the redesign of the naira. Chinedu, an EFCC operative who led the inter-agency probe panel, said the approval was communicated to the anti-graft agency in writing.
He added that the approval came with a condition that the new banknotes should be printed locally, rather than abroad, as was done during Emefiele’s tenure.
“The State House gave approval for the naira redesign, but with a proviso that it must be done locally,” the witness said.
Chinedu also told the court that Emefiele made six separate extrajudicial statements to the probe panel between October 26 and November 2, 2023, in which he presented his defence.
Under cross-examination, the witness declined to comment on Emefiele’s claim that a former EFCC chairman suggested the naira redesign to the Presidency. He said the EFCC had no authority to propose changes to the currency, noting that any role played by the agency would be advisory.
The witness further admitted that video clips showing public hardship during the naira redesign, which were tendered as evidence, were downloaded from the internet and existed before the probe began. He said no television staff involved in producing the videos were interviewed.
Emefiele, who is facing charges marked FTC/HC/CR/264/2024, has pleaded not guilty. The case was adjourned to February 3 for further cross-examination.
