16/08/2023
The suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele will be arraigned on Thursday, before the federal Capital Territory High court, by the Federal government over a fresh 20 count charge, bothering on procurement fraud allegations.
Emefiele will be arraigned alongside a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April1616 Investment Limited on 6.9 billion naira procurement fraud, conspiracy and conferring corrupt advantages on his associates.
This fresh charge is coming after federal government announced its withdrawal of the charge on “illegal possession of firearms” before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, when the matter came up.
Emefiele is accused of conferring corrupt advantages on Yaro, a director in April 1616 Investment Ltd, an offense contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, which holds a penalty of Five years imprisonment, without an option of fine.
The section reads, “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 charge 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.
Count one read, “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.
Count 10 read, “That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, female, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as director in April1616 Investment Ltd., in a contract awarded to the said company, for the supply of 47 Toyota Hilux vehicles at the cost of N1,085, 700,000 and thereby committed an offence.’’
Count 11, “That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, female, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as director in April1616 Investment Ltd., in a contract awarded to the said company, emanating from the CBN where you are employed, for the supply of 10 Mercedes Benz armoured buses at the cost of N2,222, 500,00 and thereby committed an offence.’’
Emefiele, has been in detention since he was suspended from office on June 9 by President Bola Tinubu, before he was arraigned by the federal government before the federal high court in Lagos, over possession of illegal fire arms.
Dara Network TV 