The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared Margaret Emefiele, wife of a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and three others, wanted for money laundering.
The three others declared wanted by the EFCC on Friday night are Eric Odoh, Anita Omoile and her husband, Jonathan Omoile.
They are wanted for allegedly conspiring with the former CBN Governor “to convert huge sums of money belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria and committed felony to wit: obtaining money by false pretences, and stealing, contrary to and punishable under Sections 411, 287, and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.”
The EFCC made this known through a social media post. The post stated: “Emefiele, Odoh, Mr and Mrs Omoile, wanted by the EFCC. The quartet of Eric Odoh, Margaret Emefiele, Anita Omoile and Jonathan Omoile, are wanted by the EFCC for offences bothering on economic and financial crimes. Any information on their whereabout? Please contact the nearest EFCC Command or the nearest police Station.”
The Federal Government has for the third time amended the criminal charges it filed against Emefiele.
In the latest amended charge taken before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday, the EFCC accused Emefiele of impersonating the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to illegally obtain $6.2m.
According to the amended charge marked CR/577/2023, Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, connived with one Odoh Ocheme, now at large, to obtain $6.2m from the CBN, claiming that it was requested by the SGF “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.”
According to the EFCC, Emefiele allegedly claimed that the SGF requested the CBN to release “a contingent logistic advance in the sum of $6,230,000.00 in line with Mr. President’s directive.”
The EFCC said Emefiele made the claim despite knowing that it was false, “and you thereby committed an offence 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 is said to have allegedly connived with the fleeing Ocheme to commit the “illegal act of 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.”
