Court Orders Emefiele’s Remand in Kuje Prison

Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, was arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges related to procurement fraud.

Emefiele pleaded not guilty to the six counts, and the trial judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, ordered his remand in the Kuje Correctional Center pending a ruling on his bail application.

The charges allege that Emefiele, while serving as CBN governor, conferred a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a CBN staff, by awarding contracts for the supply of vehicles to a company in which Yaro is a director.

The charges specify various vehicle contracts and their costs, totaling hundreds of millions of Naira.

Emefiele was released last week after spending 151 days in custody following an earlier order for his release by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the same High Court.

The court adjourned the case until November 22 to determine Emefiele’s bail application, with the trial set to commence on November 28.

The EFCC had initially charged Emefiele and Sa’adatu Yaro in August, but the arraignment was delayed due to Yaro’s reported ill health.

In the amended charge presented on November 8, Emefiele became the sole defendant, and the charges were reduced from 20 to six.

The former CBN governor’s legal troubles revolve around alleged breaches of the procurement Act in the purchase of vehicles.

Source: This Day Newspaper