FG To Arraign Emefiele, Two Others Over Alleged Fraud In Purchase Of N6.9Billion Posh Vehicles
The Nigerian Government will arraign the suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele and two other suspects before the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Thursday over fresh 20 counts, bordering on procurement fraud allegations.
It was learned the two other defendants are a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April 1616 Investment Limited for alleged N6.9 billion procurement fraud, conspiracy and conferring corrupt advantages on his associates.
This comes barely 24 hours after the Nigerian Government had applied to withdraw the “illegal possession of firearms” case it filed against Emefiele, at the Federal High Court in Lagos and filed fresh charges against him in an Abuja court.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Bakodo Abubakar told Justice Nicholas Oweibo that the application followed the result of further investigation.
He made his application orally.
But the defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN) opposed him, arguing that because the government was in disobedience of the court’s order granting Emefiele bail, its application could not be taken.
The court adjourned till August 18 for the ruling.
The judge on July 25 admitted Emefiele to N20 million bail on two counts of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and ordered his remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.
But the DSS rearrested the embattled bank chief after fighting off prison officials on the court’s premises.
According to the new charge sheet, the three accused persons bought a fleet of 98 exotic vehicles and armoured buses valued at about N6.9 billion.
The vehicles were listed as 84 Toyota Hilux trucks, 10 armoured Mercedes Benz buses, three Toyota Landcruisers, and one Toyota Avalon car were purchased between 2018 and 2020.
One of the charges reads, “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, female, adult, and April 1616 Investment Ltd, sometime in 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to use the office of Mr Godwin 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.”
