A Special High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja has adjourned the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele in an alleged procurement fraud involving the bank.
The court adjourned the trial of the former bank governor to January 18 and 19, 2024.
Defendant Emefiele is being tried on a six-count amended indictment relating to the alleged procurement of a N1.6 billion Naira vehicle. The former CBN governor is accused of using his position to corruptly benefit a CBN official, Sa’adatu Yaro, by awarding him a contract to procure 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.
He pleaded not guilty. He was subsequently detained at the Kuje Correctional Center pending a ruling on his bail application.
He was granted bail of N300 million and two sureties on November 17, 2023 and remanded to Kuje Correctional Center until he meets the bail conditions.
At the resumed hearing, a prosecution witness, an executive of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), told the court that Emefiele was neither an owner nor a shareholder of April1616 Investment Limited, which was awarded the N1.2 billion vehicle supply contract by CBN under Emefiele.
He gave evidence while giving several documents on how the company was formed on August 1, 2016, by the EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo.
He further read out the names of the company’s shareholders, with Aminu Yaro, Maryam Abdullahi, and Saadatu Yaro as co-owners.
According to Emefiele’s lawyer, Mathew Burkaa, Emefiele has not yet fulfilled his bail conditions.
He was brought to court and taken away by armed officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service .
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