Trial of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, before the Lagos State Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja was stalled yesterday following Emefiele’s absence from court.

Justice Rahman Oshodi subsequently adjourned the case to November 11, 12 and 13, 2026, for continuation of trial.

Emefiele is facing a 19-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), bordering on alleged abuse of office, receiving gratification, making corrupt demands and fraudulent receipt of property in transactions involving about $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.

Omoile, the second defendant, is facing three counts relating to alleged unlawful acceptance of gifts as an agent.

Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the resumed proceedings, Emefiele was absent from court as he was said to be attending to another trial in Abuja.

Counsel to the first defendant, Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, SAN, informed the court that Emefiele would not be available for the proceedings.

The EFCC prosecutor, C.C. Okezie, also told the court that Emefiele had written a letter dated October 6, 2026, notifying the court that he would be attending another trial in Abuja on the same date scheduled for the Lagos proceedings.

MEANWHILE, a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ali Mohammed, told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that the N124.86 billion withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Account by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under Godwin Emefiele did not pass through the Federal Ministry of Finance.

The witness, who is a director in the Federal Ministry of Finance, yesterday narrated how he received a letter from the Special Investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to investigate the CBN under Emefiele and in respect of the withdrawn funds.

Mohammed, who claimed to be a Supervisor of three divisions under the Home Finance Unit of the ministry, said that he summoned an emergency meeting of the three divisions where their heads denied being privy to the alleged withdrawal of the N124.86 billion.

Following the denial of knowledge by the three divisions, he subsequently wrote a letter to the Accountant General of the Federation through the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, seeking clarifications on the alleged fund withdrawal.

In response, the witness told the court that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation also denied having knowledge of the transaction and that the office concluded that the withdrawal of the N124.86 billion must have been done by the CBN.

He said the findings on the transactions were conveyed to the special investigation unit in response to his request.