Abuja High Court Sanctions EFCC with N500,000 Fine Over Chronic Delays in Godwin Emefiele’s Fraud Trial

An Abuja court fines the EFCC N500,000 for repeated delays in the fraud trial of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele. Trial resumes April 27.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 17, 2026, 12:36 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Guardian Nigeria

Judicial Impatience Peaks Over Prosecution Delays

The high-profile trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele took a contentious turn on Tuesday as an Abuja High Court formally sanctioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Hamza Muazu imposed a N500,000 fine on the anti-graft agency following its repeated failure to move forward with the case. The friction centered on the prosecution’s inability to produce its 13th witness, DCP Edwin Okpoziakeo, a move that the court interpreted as a significant disregard for previous commitments to an accelerated hearing.

Witness Absence Attributed to Administrative and Personal Hurdles

EFCC counsel A.O. Mohammed explained to the court that the witness was unavailable due to a combination of rigid police protocols and a personal legal crisis. According to the prosecution, the Force Headquarters required a formal request to the Inspector-General of Police before the officer could testify—a directive the EFCC claims to have followed. However, the situation was further complicated by the witness attending a separate court in Gwagwalada to resolve a garnishee order on his personal bank account. This explanation met with stiff resistance from the bench, which questioned why a material witness's personal finances were being prioritized over a national criminal trial.

Defense Cites Statutory Violations in Adjournment Requests

Matthew Burkaa, lead counsel for Emefiele, launched a vigorous objection to any further delays, citing the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. Burkaa argued that Sections 396(3) and (4) specifically limit each party to five adjournments during a trial—a threshold the EFCC has now surpassed by three. The defense highlighted the irony of the EFCC’s position, noting that the agency had initially lobbied for a fast-tracked trial only to become the primary source of stagnation. Burkaa contended that the prosecution’s choice to allow the witness to attend to personal matters constituted a waiver of their right to a swift proceeding.