The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned the immediate past Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, before Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting at Maitama, Abuja.
The anti-graft agency, on behalf of the Federal Government, re-arraigned the embattled Emefiele on a 20-count charge bordering on conferring corrupt advantage, forgery and obtaining by false pretense.
Emefiele, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge as read to him in open court.
EFCC had on November 17, 2023 arraigned Emefiele before Justice Muazu a six-count charge bordering on conferring advantage on a female staff member of CBN, contrary to the provision of Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
In the charge marked CR/577/2023, Emefiele was accused of using his position as CBN governor to award six different contracts to on Sa’adatu Ramalan Yero, an CBN staff member, between2018 and 2020 to the tune of N1,210,600,000.
The procurement contracts were awarded to April 16 Investment Ltd, in which the said Sa’adatu Ramalan Yero is a director.
While the prosecution retained the previous six counts against the former CBN chief, it added 14 other counts to the charge.
Following his no-guilty plea, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, asked for a date for trial.
Emefiele’s counsel, Mathew Burkaa SAN, however, pleaded with the court to allow his client to continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted him on November 22, 2023.
The prosecution did not object to this application. Oyedepo, however, said the prosecution was only interested in Emefiele attending court for trial.
The court subsequently ordered the former CBN governor to continue to enjoy his bail as granted by the court.
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