Alleged Procurment Fraud: Court Remands Emefiele in Kuje Correctional Facility
Written by AIGBOKHAEBHO OKHUELEIGBE on November 17, 2023
The Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered that the former governor of the central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele be remanded in Kuje Correctional Facility, pending the hearing and determination of the bail application before it.
The order came after Emefiele was arraigned on a fresh six count charge bordering on alleged procurement and abuse of office.
Justice Hamza Muazu has however adjourned to November 22, 2023 to rule on the bail application before the court and November 28, for trial to commence.
Emefiele who is the only defendant in the new charge however pleaded not guilty to the six count charge, which is to the tune of 1.6Billion Naira.
In the amended charge, the Federal Government alleged that Emefiele illegally bought 43 vehicles between 2018 and 2020 worth N1.2bn and was accused of awarding a contract for the procurement of 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles valued at N854m.
Count one reads;
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 is also being 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 N73m.
The fourth count was about a Toyota Landcruiser V8 valued N73,800,000 awarded illegally to April 1616 Investment Ltd.
The FG further accused the former CBN governor of awarding a contract to Yaro for the supply of two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification Vehicles at the cost of N44,200,000 in 2020.
The original 20 count charge, was to the tune of N6.5bn
This is the second time Emefiele will be remanded after spending one hundred and fifty one days in custody of the federal government.
