Embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Govermor Godwin Emefiele approved contracts worth several millions of naira to wife and brother-in-law, according to a witness in the case.
The former Nigeria’s CBN governor is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over corruption related cases and alleged abuse of office while in office.
According to the anti-graft agency, the Seventh Prosecution Witness, PW7, in the trial of Emefiele on Monday, June 24, 2024 told Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja, that Emefiele signed and approved contract awards and payments to April 1616 Investment Limited and Architekon Nigeria Limited, which are companies owned by Sa’adatu Ramalan Yero, a staff of the apex bank, his wife Margaret and her brother, Jonathan Omoile respectively.
The witness, Agboro Michael, an investigator with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, who is a member of inter-agency investigation team that comprise the EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, Department of State Services, DSS and the Nigeria Police Force during his cross-examination by defence counsel, Mathew Burkaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN said Emefiele was the approving authority of the contracts awarded to both companies having endorsed all the contract award documents and given approval for payments to the companies.
Burkaa identified exhibits F24 to F44 which are letters from the CBN to April 1616 Investments Limited, for the award of contracts for the supply of cars to the apex bank as well as documents showing requests for payments from the company to the CBN for the delivery of the cars, all signed by Emefiele.
Similarly, the witness identified exhibits A1 to A8, as documents containing memos from CBN for the award of contracts to Architekon Nigeria Limited, belonging to Emefiele’s wife and her brother for the renovation of the CBN governor’s residence, provision of dedicated power lines and supply of furniture as well as requests of payments in respect of the contracts to the company, all approved by Emefiele.
Justice Muazu admitted the exhibits in evidence and adjourned the matter till 25, 2024 for re-examination of the witness.
The former CBN governor is standing trial before Justice Muazu on amended 20 count-charges that border on conferment of corrupt advantages, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery and obtaining by false pretense.
Emefiele was removed from office in July last year by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and has since been charged to court by the EFCC for graft and other related offences.
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