Court remands CBN governor Emefiele in Kuje prison custody over multimillion-naira corruption allegation

The court ordered that the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, be remanded in Kuje prison until November 22.

Olumayowa Samuel • November 17, 2023

Godwin Emefiele in court (Credit: Nigerian Guardian)

The Abuja High Court on Friday ordered that the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, be remanded in Kuje prison until November 22.

Justice Hamza Muazu gave the order when Mr Emefiele’s bail application will be heard.

Mr Emefiele was arraigned in court on a six-count charge.

The original charge was 20 counts.

According to the amended charge sheet, the federal government accused the former CBN governor of illegally purchasing 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020 and awarding a contract to procure 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles valued at N854 million.

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2018 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 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles at the cost of N854,700,000 only to April1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a director and thereby committed an offence,” the first count said.

In the second count, the government alleged that Mr Emefiele used his position to corruptly confer an advantage on Yaro, “a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, by awarding a contract for the supply of one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99,900,000 only to April1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro Director and thereby committed an offence.”

Mr Emefiele was also alleged to have conferred corrupt advantage contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 by awarding a contract for the supply of one Toyota Landcruiser V8 April1616 Investment Ltd. in 2019 at the cost of N73 million.

The fourth alleged a Toyota Landcruiser V8 valued at N73,800,000 was illegally awarded to April 1616 Investment Ltd.

The ex-CBN governor was also alleged to have awarded a contract to Yaro for the supply of two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification Vehicles at the cost of N44,200,000 in 2020.

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