FG Arraigns Emefiele For Alleged N1.6bn Procurement Fraud

Federal Government, on Friday, arraigned Godwin Emefiele, the immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on six counts of alleged procurement fraud.

The charges were reduced from an initial 20 counts, with the amount involved also lowered from N6.5 billion to N1.6 billion.

According to Channels, Emefiele pleaded not guilty to the charges during his court appearance on Friday.

The amended charge sheet alleges that he illegally purchased 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.

He is also accused of awarding a contract for the procurement of 37 Toyota Hilux vehicles valued at N854 million.

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Count one read, “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did use your position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles at the cost of N854,700,000 only to April1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a director and thereby committed an offence.”

In the second count, Emefiele was accused of using his position to corruptly confer an advantage on Yaro, “a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99,900,000 only to April1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro Director and thereby committed an offence.”

He was also accused of conferring corrupt advantage contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 by awarding a contract for the supply of one Toyota Landcruiser V8 April1616 Investment Ltd., in 2019 at the cost of N73 million.

The fourth count was about a Toyota Landcruiser V8 valued N73,800,000 awarded illegally to April 1616 Investment Ltd.

The Federal Government further accused the former CBN governor of also awarding a contract to Yaro for the supply of two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification Vehicles at the cost of N44,200,000 in 2020.

Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court has adjourned the case until November 22 for a ruling on Emefiele’s bail application and November 28 for the commencement of the trial.

In the meantime, Emefiele has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.