Abuja, Nov. 17, 2023 – A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday remanded Godwin Emefiele, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in Kuje Correctional Centre after his arraignment on a six-count charge bordering on procurement fraud
.He was re-arraigned at the court for an amended charge of illegally buying 43 vehicles between 2018 and 2020 worth N1.2 billion.
The original charges of 20 counts to the tune of N6.5 billion were reduced to six counts to the tune N1.6 billion.
He was accused of awarding a contract for the procurement of 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles valued at N854 million
In the first charge, Emefiele was accused of using his position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on one 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 was a director and thereby committed an offence.
In the second count, he was also accused of using his position to corruptly confer an advantage on Yaro 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.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, adjourned the case untill Nov. 22 for ruling on his bail application and Nov. 28 for the commencement of trial. (GBN)
