Fresh 20-count charge: Emefiele’s re-arraignment over alleged N6.9b fraud stalled

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

Absence of a second defendants, Sa’adatu Yaro stalled the re-arraignment of the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, on a fresh 20-count charge on breech of procurement Act brought against him by the federal government.
When the matter was called as Emefiele entered the duck, Counsel to the government, the Director of Public Procurement (DPP)Abubakar Mohammed, informed the court that the second defendant was not in court.
Mohammed said that Sa’adatu(2ndDef)fell sick this morning and couldn’t make it to court. He therefore, pray the court to grant him an adjournment.
Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama adjourned till August 23, for arraignment.
Recall the the FG, Wednesday, withdrew the charges bordering on illegal possession of firearm leveled against Emefiele at the federal high court Lagos.
However, the FG filed a fresh 20 count charge against him and his associates for N6.9 billion procurement fraud at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
Emefiele will be arraigned alongside a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April1616 Investment Limited on 20 charges of procurement fraud, conspiracy and conferring corrupt advantages on his associates.
The prosecution claimed that the former CBN Boss conferred corrupt advantages on Yaro, a director in April 1616 Investment Ltd.
According this them, the offence is contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, if convicted, Emefiele may be sentenced to five years imprisonment without an option of a fine.
The 19 of the Act section said, “Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine.’’
In the charges signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar; Deputy Director, Public Prosecution, Mrs N Jones-Nebo and eight other ministry officials, the three accused persons were alleged to have bought a fleet of over 98 exotic vehicles and armoured buses valued at about N6.9bn.
Some of the vehicles bought between 2018 and 2020 included 84 Toyota Hilux vehicles, 10 armoured Mercedes Benz buses, three Toyota Landcruisers and one Toyota Avalon car.
Some of the charges said, “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.’’
Also, Emefiele was said to have conspire to confer corrupt advantage on the second defendant contrary to sections 26 (c) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under Section 19 of the same Act.”