N9.6bn ‘fraud’: Emefiele’s arraignment stalled as parties seek plea bargain

The planned arraignment of suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, before an FCT High Court over charges of alleged N9.6 billion fraud was stalled again yesterday. At the scheduled hearing, Emefiele and his co-defendant, a CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro, were absent. The matter was also not listed on the cause list […]

The planned arraignment of suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, before an FCT High Court over charges of alleged N9.6 billion fraud was stalled again yesterday.

At the scheduled hearing, Emefiele and his co-defendant, a CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro, were absent.

The matter was also not listed on the cause list or the court though the presiding judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, was sitting.

A defence lawyer said ongoing talks for an out-of-court settlement.

The source said the plea bargain, which involved all the prosecution team and the defendants, would be concluded by September 6.

Emefiele, Yaro and her company, April 1616 Investment Company Ltd, were charged on a 20-count charges of procurement fraud, conspiracy and conferring corrupt advantages on his associates.

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The offences are said to be in contravention of Section 19 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, which prohibits public officers conferring corrupt or unfair advantage to themselves.

In the charges signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar; Deputy Director, Public Prosecution, Mrs Nkiru Jones-Nebo and eight other ministry officials, the three accused persons were alleged to have bought a fleet of over 98 exotic vehicles and armoured buses valued at about N6.9bn.