The Federal Government is preparing to bring charges against
Godwin Emefiele, the
suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),
and his associates for their alleged involvement in a procurement fraud scheme
amounting to N6.9 billion.
Scheduled for Thursday, the arraignment of Emefiele and his
colleagues, including Sa’adatu Yaro, a female CBN employee, and her company
April 1616 Investment Limited, will take place at the Federal Capital Territory
High Court in Maitama, Abuja. This court proceeding pertains to the initial
arraignment and preliminary discussion of the case.
Emefiele, along with Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, is facing
a total of 20 charges, which include procurement fraud, conspiracy, and
providing illicit advantages to his associates. The charges stem from their
alleged purchase of a fleet of luxurious vehicles and armored buses valued at
approximately N6.9 billion between 2018 and 2020.
The accusations against Emefiele specifically involve his
alleged use of his position as the CBN Governor to provide unjust gains to
Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April 1616 Investment Ltd. The offenses are in
violation of section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act
2000.
If proven guilty, Emefiele could face a maximum sentence of
five years imprisonment without the possibility of a fine, according to the
relevant section of the act.
The charges against Emefiele and his associates were filed by
the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar, along with Deputy
Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. N Jones-Nebo, and other officials from the
Federal Ministry of Justice. The charges outline various instances of alleged
wrongdoing, including the procurement of vehicles and other transactions
between 2018 and 2020.
In addition to Emefiele’s case, Sa’adatu Yaro is accused of
fraudulent acquisition of property and benefiting from contracts awarded to her
company, April 1616 Investment Ltd. The charges specify her involvement in
procuring a contract for the supply of 47 Toyota Hilux vehicles and 10 Mercedes
Benz armored buses from CBN funds.
The witnesses listed against Emefiele and the other
defendants include prominent figures from the CBN, such as Stanley Alvan (CBN
Director of Procurement), Mike Agboro (CBN Head of Procurement), Tahir Jafar,
David Usman, and other potential witnesses who may be added later.
In summary, the suspended CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele and
his associates, including Sa’adatu Yaro and her company April 1616 Investment
Limited, are facing multiple charges related to procurement fraud, conspiracy,
and conferring corrupt advantages. They will be arraigned before the Federal
Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, for the initial legal proceedings.
