At last, after spending five months in detention, the Federal Government on Friday arraigned the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, on a six-count charge bordering on alleged procurement at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,

Until this Friday, the original charge, was 20 counts involving alleged fraudulent N6.5 billion contracts which was later reduced to six counts totalling N1.6 billion fraud. Emefiele is the only defendant.

According to the amended charge sheet, the Federal Government alleged that Emefiele illegally bought 43 vehicles between 2018 and 2020 worth N1.2 billion. He was also accused of awarding a contract for the procurement of 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles valued at N854 million.

Specifically, count one reads: “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 second count accused the former CBN Governor of using 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.”

He was also accused of conferring 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 count was about a Toyota Landcruiser V8 valued N73,800,000 awarded illegally to April 1616 Investment Ltd.

In the fifth count, the Federal Government further accused Mr. Emefiele of awarding a contract to Yaro for the supply of two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification Vehicles at the cost of N44,200,000 in 2020.

The former CBN Governor, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court adjourned the case till November 22 for ruling on the bail application of Emefiele and November 28 for the commencement of trial.

The judge ordered the remand of Mr. Emefiele at the Kuje correctional centre.

Mr Emefiele’s travails started on 9June,2023 when he was removed from office over corruption allegations.

The then suspended bank Chief was arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) on 10 June 2023 and detained for months until it recently transferred him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Altogether, Mr Emefiele spent five months in detention.

He regained his freedom after a judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, granted him bail on 8 November.

On 25 July While he was in custody the SSS arraigned him on two counts of “illegal possession” of firearms and live ammunition at the Federal High Court, Lagos. The security outfit later reduced the charges in August,2023.

Thereafter, the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, again, charged Mr. Emefiele with N6.9 billion in corruption charges at the FCT High Court in Abuja in August.

The arraignment was, however, rescheduled on different occasions, a development that triggered speculations that the former bank chief was in plea bargain talks with the government over the charges filed against him.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF) Prince Lateef Fagbemi Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) denied signing any plea agreement with Mr. Emefiele.