Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s immediate past governor, is accused on six charges of illegal procurement by the Federal Government.

 

Six charges totaling N1.6 billion have replaced the original 20 counts of accusations totaling N6.5 billion. Emefiele is merely named as a defendant in the amended charge.

 

The six-count charge was read to the former CBN governor when he appeared in court on Friday to request bail. He entered a not guilty plea.

 

Emefiele arrived barely in time for the day’s proceedings to begin. The accusations still border on procurement fraud, according to the updated charge sheet.

 

The Federal Government said in the new charge sheet that Emefiele fraudulently purchased 43 automobiles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.

He is charged with authorizing a N854 million contract for the purchase of 37 Toyota Hilux automobiles.

 

The first count states: “That sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, 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 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 offense.”

 

Emefiele is charged in the second count with abusing his position to give Yaro, “a staff member of the Central Bank of Nigeria, an unfair advantage 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 is employed and consequently committed an offence.”

 

In addition, he is charged with giving corrupt benefits in violation of Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act 2000 when he granted N73 million for the delivery of a single Toyota Landcruiser V8 April1616 Investment Ltd. in 2019.

 

The fourth count concerned a Toyota Landcruiser V8 that April 1616 Investment Ltd. was wrongfully given for N73,800,000.

 

The Federal Government also charged the previous governor of the CBN with giving Yaro a contract for N44,200,000 in 2020 for the delivery of two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification Vehicles.

 

Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court deferred the case until November 22 to rule on Emefiele’s bail application and November 28 to begin the trial.

 

Meanwhile, he ordered Emefiele to be held at the Kuje Correctional Centre.