The 10th prosecution witness (PW10) in the ongoing trial of the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Salawu Gana, on Monday told the court that the contract awarded by the apex bank for vehicle procurement passed through due process.
Emefiele is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on behalf of the Federal Government before Justice Hamza Muazu, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on a 20-count amended charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, and obtaining money by false pretence during his tenure as CBN governor.
In the suit marked FCT/HC/CR/577/2023, the former CBN governor was alleged to have forged a document titled “Re: Presidential Directive on Foreign Election Observer Missions”, dated January 26, 2023, with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201, and purported it to have emanated from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
He is further accused of using his office as CBN governor to confer unfair and corrupt advantages on two companies: April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd.
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At the resumed hearing in the case yesterday, PW10, while continuing his evidence-in-chief, told the court that quotations for the supply of vehicles were received from RT Briscoe, Globe Motors, and April 1616 Investment Limited.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Gana told the court that the CBN Procurement Department evaluated the quotations submitted by the bidding companies, vetted them, and subsequently recommended April 1616 as the winner of the bid.
The witness stated that April 1616 was awarded the contract because its bid was the lowest among the three.
Oyedepo tendered a bundle of documents relating to the award of 45 contracts for the supply of vehicles to the CBN by April 1616, RT Briscoe, and Globe Motors as exhibits before the court.
While being cross-examined by Emefiele’s counsel, Mathew Burkaa (SAN), the witness informed the court that after the recommendation, Emefiele approved the award of the contract to April 1616, adding that the company supplied the vehicles and was paid based on the defendant’s approval.
Gana, who stated that he was the head of the procurement unit at the time of the contract award, clarified that Emefiele was not a member of the CBN Tenders Board.
When asked if any officials of the procurement unit, including himself, had been put on trial by the EFCC over the contract award, the prosecution witness told the court that none of those who recommended April 1616 had been prosecuted by the anti-graft agency.
He further stated that he had not seen any documents or evidence showing that money was transferred from April 1616’s bank account to Emefiele.
Responding to another question, Gana said that based on April 1616’s registration certificate, Emefiele was neither a director, shareholder, nor a signatory to the company’s account.
PW10 told the court that he did not report directly to Emefiele at the CBN but to his direct superior, Ekenami Akpan. He added that the former CBN governor neither directed nor influenced him through phone calls or text messages to favor April 1616 in the procurement recommendation.
Meanwhile, during yesterday’s proceedings, Emefiele urged the court to prohibit the EFCC from calling additional witnesses against him after presenting all 10 witnesses it had initially listed to testify.
The former CBN governor made the application through his counsel, Burkaa, arguing that since all necessary documents relating to the charges had been tendered, allowing the anti-corruption commission to present additional witnesses would undermine the court’s proceedings.
Opposing the application, Oyedepo told the court that granting it would violate the prosecution’s right to a fair hearing.
He, therefore, urged the court to reject the application in the interest of justice.
After listening to the submissions of both parties, Justice Muazu adjourned the case to March 20 for a ruling on the application.
