The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday presented newspaper publications as evidence in the ongoing trial of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, over allegations linked to the controversial Naira redesign policy.

The documents were tendered before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, where Emefiele is facing charges bordering on alleged disobedience to lawful directives and acts said to have caused injury to the public.

The exhibits were introduced through a subpoenaed witness, Jegede Oluwasegun, an official of the National Library of Nigeria.

Emefiele is being prosecuted on a four-count charge marked CR/264/2024. The EFCC alleged that between October 19, 2022, and March 5, 2023, he violated Section 19 of the CBN Act by approving the printing of 375.52 million pieces of redesigned N1,000 notes valued at over N11 billion without approval from the CBN Board and the President.

According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged actions contravened Section 123 of the Penal Code and were punishable under the same law.

The former CBN governor, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the resumed hearing, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), led the witness in evidence before the court.

During proceedings, the prosecution tendered copies of Punch, ThisDay, Vanguard, Daily Sun and The Nation newspapers, alongside certification receipts issued by the National Library.

Counsel to the defendant, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), did not oppose the application, and the documents were admitted and marked as exhibits by the court.

While being cross-examined, the witness admitted that he was not the author of the newspaper reports.

“What I do is to certify the newspapers. I cannot 100 per cent say the content of the papers is right. I am not the author,” he told the court.

Ojo later referred the witness to a ThisDay publication dated January 31, 2023, along with its certification, which was subsequently tendered and admitted in evidence without objection from the prosecution.

Justice Maryanne Anenih adjourned further hearing in the matter until May 12.