The federal Government has officially arraigned the immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, on a six-count charge amounting to N1.6 billion in an alleged procurement scandal. Initially facing 20 counts totaling N6.5 billion, Emefiele is now the sole defendant in the revised charges, which focus on accusations of procurement fraud.
Emefiele, maintaining his innocence, appeared in court on Friday for a bail application, where he pleaded not guilty to the amended six-count charge. The charges, according to the revised sheet, revolve around the alleged illegal purchase of 43 vehicles between 2018 and 2020, valued at N1.2 billion. Additionally, Emefiele is accused of awarding a contract for the procurement of 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles, amounting to N854 million.
The charges specify instances where Emefiele is accused of using his position as the CBN Governor to confer corrupt advantages on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a Central Bank staff and director of April1616 Investment Ltd. The alleged offenses range from the awarding of contracts for Toyota Hilux and Toyota Avalon vehicles to the procurement of Toyota Landcruiser V8 vehicles, all of which purportedly benefited Yaro's company.
Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court presided over the proceedings, adjourning the case until November 22 for the ruling on Emefiele's bail application and November 28 for the commencement of the trial. In the interim, the former CBN Governor has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, adding a layer of suspense to this unfolding legal saga that has captured the nation's attention.
