EFCC Arraigns Emefiele, Court Orders His Remand in Kuje Pending Bail Ruling

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned former Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on charges bordering on procurement fraud.

Although, he pleaded not guilty to the six count charge read against him, trial judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, ordered his remand in the Kuje Correctional Center, pending his ruling on Emefiele’s bail application.

The former CBN boss was released last week after spending 151 days in custody, following the order of Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the same High Court of the FCT.

However, shortly after his arraignment on Friday, the court adjourned till November 22, to determine the bail application, just as he fixed November 28, for the commencement of trial.

The anti-graft agency had in August, first charged Emefiele and one Mrs Sa’adatu Yaro and a company, April 1616 Investment Limited, purported to belong to Mrs Yaro, on alleged breach of the procurement Act in respect of the purchase of some vehicles but the arraignment could not go on because of the reported ill health of Mrs Yaro.

However, when the matter was called on Friday, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, drew the attention of the court to an amended charge dated November 8, 2023.

In the new charge, Emefiele was the sole defendant and the charge reduced from 20 to six, to which the former CBN boss pleaded not guilty.

In count one, he was alleged to have used his position as governor of CBN to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu 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 “Eight Hundred and Fifty-Four Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (N854,700,000.00) only to April1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a Director and thereby committed an offence. 

Count two:

That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2019 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 of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 1 (No.) Toyota Avalon at the cost of Ninety-Nine Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N99,900,000.00) only to April1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yero is a Director and thereby committed an offence,contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count three:

That you Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2019 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 Ramaiian Yaro, a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 1 (No ) Toyota Landcruiser V8 at the cost of Seventy three Millon and = eight hundred Thousand = Naira (N73 800 000 00) only to April1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a Director and thereby committed an offence. 

Count four 

That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2020 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 Ramailan Yaro, a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 2 (Nos.) Toyota Hilux Shell Specification Vehicles at the cost of Forty Four Million Two hundred thousand Naira ° (N44,200,000.00) only to April1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a Director and thereby committed an offence.