Fresh charges against Emefiele at a glance

The travails of embattled Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele continues after Federal Government filed fresh charges relating to procurement fraud, conspiracy and conferring corrupt advantages on his associates.

The charges signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar; Deputy Director, Public Prosecution, Mrs N Jones-Nebo and eight other ministry officials on Tuesday, revealed that Emefiele will be arraigned alongside a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April1616 Investment Limited.

They were also alleged to have bought a fleet of over 98 exotic vehicles and armoured buses valued at about N6.9bn.

Emefiele, who has been held since he was removed from office by President Bola Tinubu on June 9, was charged with giving Yaro, a director of April 1616 Investment Ltd., corrupt privileges.

Section 19 of the Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Act 2000 is violated by the crime.

If found guilty, Emefiele may receive a five-year prison term without the possibility of a fine.

The section read, “Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine.’’

Meanwhile, Count one of the charge against Emefiele read, “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 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 and thereby committed an offence.

“Statement of the offence: Conferring corrupt advantage contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.’’

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The Federal Government further accused Emefiele of conspiracy to confer corrupt advantage on the second defendant contrary to sections 26 (c) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under Section 19 of the same Act.

“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 Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves 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 Landcruiser V8 at the cost of N73,800,000 only to April 1616 Investment Ltd., ‘’ the charge stated.

It was also disclosed that the former CBN governor participated in a conspiracy by giving Yaro a contract for the supply of two Toyota Hilux Shell-specified trucks at a cost of N44.2 million sometime in 2020.

Yaro and her company were also accused of receiving a second contract from Emefiele for the 2020 purchase of a Toyota Landcruiser VXR valued at N96 million.

Yaro was also charged with fraudulent property acquisition after receiving a contract from the CBN to deliver 47 Toyota Hilux cars for N1,085, 700,000 and allegedly committing a crime.

Count 10 read, “That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, female, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as 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 offence.’’

Count 11, “That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, female, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as 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 armoured buses at the cost of N2,222, 500,00 and thereby committed an offence.’’

Listed as witnesses against the defendants were the CBN Director of Procurement, Stanley Alvan; CBN Head of Procurement, Mike Agboro, Tahir Jafar, David Usman and “any other witnesses to be supplied later in the additional proof of evidence.’’

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