Former CBN Governor Emefiele Pleads Not Guilty To Corruption Charges

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, appeared in court on Friday, facing 20 counts of alleged corruption and forgery.

Arriving at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Emefiele pleaded not guilty, marking the beginning of a trial scheduled for February 12th and 13th.

Initially arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on six counts related to N1.2 billion procurement allegations, the charges were later amended to the current 20 counts.

The development follows Thursday’s revelation that the Federal Government has filed an amended 20 counts against the embattled former CBN governor at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court had granted Emefiele leave on Thursday to travel within the FCT but not outside the country. Additionally, Emefiele had met the conditions of his N300 million bail.

The fresh charges filed by the EFCC include forgery, conferring a corrupt advantage, and criminal breach of trust.

The charges assert that Emefiele, in 2019, utilised his position as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a CBN staff member, by awarding contracts to April 1616 Investment Ltd, a company where Yaro serves as a Director.

After his suspension, President Tinubu’s government had filed 19 charges against Emefiele related to procurement fraud, which led to his initial arraignment on six counts.

The recent charges specify instances such as contracts for the supply of Toyota Hilux Vehicles, Toyota Avalon, and Toyota Land Cruiser V8.

Upon the reading of the 20 counts on Friday, Emefiele pleaded not guilty, and Justice Muazu granted his lawyer’s plea for bail continuation. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), counsel for the EFCC, informed the court of the amended charges on Thursday, citing offences such as conferring a corrupt advantage and forgery.

The particulars of offence are that: “You, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2019 did use your position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’aclatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff 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 the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a Director and you thereby committed an offence.”

Count 2 bordered on “Conferring corrupt advantage contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”

The offence particulars are “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, sometime in 2019 did use your position as Governor of the CBN to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff of the CBN by awarding a contract for the supply of 1 (No.) Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99,900,000 only to April 1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a Director and thereby committed an offence.”

Count 3 bordered on “Conferring corrupt advantage contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.”

Particulars of offence stated “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, sometime in 2019 did use your position as Governor of the CBN to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff of the CBN by awarding a contract for the supply of 1 (No.) Toyota Landcruiser V8 at the cost of Seventy-three billion and eight hundred Thousand Naira (N73,800,000.00) only to April 1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a Director and you thereby committed an offence.”