Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday urged Justice Hamza Mu’azu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja, to dismiss the no-case submission filed by a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, insisting that the evidence presented by the prosecution established a prima facie case requiring him to enter his defence.

Emefiele is facing an amended 20-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence, including allegations relating to the withdrawal of $6.23 million and the conferment of corrupt advantage in the award of CBN contracts.

The prosecution counsel, Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, argued that the purpose of a no-case submission was to determine whether the prosecution had established a prima facie case, not to determine the defendant’s guilt or evaluate the credibility of witnesses at that stage.

He maintained that calling on Emefiele to enter his defence would not amount to asking him to prove his innocence but would give him the opportunity to answer the issues raised by the prosecution’s evidence.

On the contract-related counts, Oyedepo identified the ingredients of the alleged offences as the defendant’s status as a public officer, his use of that position and the conferment of corrupt advantage on his relations or associates.

He told the court that exhibits bearing Emefiele’s approval signatures, alongside corporate records, linked the defendant to companies associated with his wife and brother-in-law, including Architekon Nigeria Limited.

Addressing the defence’s argument that the prosecution’s case was speculative, Oyedepo submitted that “there is a difference between speculation and inferences drawn from legally admissible evidence.”

In opposing the application, defence counsel, Mathew Burkaa, SAN, had urged the court to discharge Emefiele, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish the essential ingredients of the alleged offences.

“My lord, in the entirety of the charge, the prosecution failed to prove that he had conferred undue advantage on his wife and his associates,” Burkaa said.

The court stated that the date for ruling on the no-case submission would be communicated to the parties.