Arraignment Of Suspended CBN Governor Emefiele Postponed Due To Defendant’s Absence

The arraignment of the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was delayed on Wednesday morning due to the absence of the second defendant, Sa’adatu Yaro.

Emefiele, Yaro, and a firm known as April1616 Investment Ltd were accused of engaging in conspiracy and procurement fraud, among other charges.

He is also accused of conferring corrupt advantages on his associates, including Yaro, said to be a director in April 1616, to the tune of N6.9 billion.

The accused were presented before the vacation judge, Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

Emefiele was brought to the court by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS).

At the start of the proceedings, Counsel to the Federal Government and Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, informed Justice Hamza Muazu that Mrs. Saadat Yaro fell ill in the morning and could not make it to the court.

As a result, Abubakar apologized to the court and requested a new date for the arraignment.

Counsel to Emefiele, Akinlolu Kehinde, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), did not oppose the new date and also commended the professionalism of the DPP.

According to the joint charge, all the defendants must be present in court for arraignment unless the charges are separated.

As a result, Justice Muazu scheduled August 23 for the arraignment.

After the proceedings, Emefiele was returned to the Operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) under heavy security.

The charges detail that some of the items allegedly procured unlawfully by the defendants are vehicles bought between 2018 and 2020. They include 84 Toyota Hilux vans, 10 armored Mercedes Benz buses, three Toyota Land Cruisers, and one Toyota Avalon. Some counts in the charge read:

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele (male, adult), Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, (female, adult), and April 1616 Investment Ltd, sometime in 2019, conspired to use the office of Mr. Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele 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 Land Cruiser V8 at the cost of N73,800,000 only to April 1616 Investment Ltd.

*That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele (male, adult), sometime in 2018, used 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, thereby committing an offense.

That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, sometime in 2018, while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as a 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 offense.

*That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, sometime in 2018, while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as a 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 armored buses at the cost of N2,222,500,000 and thereby committed an offense.

The suspended CBN governor was further accused of conferring a corrupt advantage on Yaro by allegedly awarding contracts for the supply of one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99.9m to April1616 Investment Ltd in 2019; two Toyota Hilux (Shell specification) vehicles at the cost of N44.2 million sometime in 2020, and one Toyota Land Cruiser VXR valued at N96 million in 2020.

Emefiele was also accused of awarding a contract for the supply of another Toyota Land Cruiser V8 for N77.050 million to the third defendant in 2018.

Yaro is accused of fraudulently acquiring property for getting a contract from the CBN for the supply of 47 Toyota Hilux vans at the cost of N1,085,700,000 and thereby committing a punishable offense.