Godwin Emefiele, the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and his accomplices will be put on trial by the federal government on Thursday at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja for N6.9 billion in procurement fraud.
Emefiele is facing a 20 counts fresh charge of procurement fraud, conspiracy, and providing corrupt benefits to his accomplices together with a female CBN employee named Sa’adatu Yaro and her business, April 1616 Investment Limited.
Accused of giving Yaro, a director of April 1616 Investment Ltd., corrupt privileges, the embattled bank chief has been detained since he was removed from office on June 9, 2023.
The three accused people were charged with purchasing a fleet of over 98 exotic cars and armoured buses valued at about N6.9 billion in the charges signed by the Federal Ministry of Justice’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar, Deputy Director, Mrs Nkiru Jones-Nebo, and eight other ministry officials. Some of the cars purchased between 2018 and 2020 included 84 Toyota Hilux cars, 10 armoured Mercedes Benz buses, three Toyota Land Cruisers, and a Toyota Avalon car.
“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 member of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 37 (Nos.) Toyota Hilux Vehicles at the cost of N854,700,000 only to April 1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which she is a director and thereby committed an offence. Statement of the offence: Conferring corrupt advantage contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000,” charges brought against the embattled bank chief partly read.
Emefiele was additionally charged by the Federal Government with conspiring to give the second defendant a corrupt advantage in violation of Sections 26(c) and 19 of the Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Act 2000, which is punishable under Section 19 of the same Act.
Emefiele was accused of giving Yaro a corrupt advantage by giving her company, April 1616 Investment Ltd., a contract in 2019 to deliver one Toyota Avalon for N99.9 million.
The suspended governor was charged with giving the third defendant a contract in 2018 for the provision of another Toyota Landcruiser V8 for N77.050 million.
News About Nigeria had earlier reported that the President Bola Tinubu-led government on Tuesday withdrew a 2-count charge illegal possession of firearm charges earlier brought against the bank chief, filling a fresh 20 count against the bank boss
