There are indications that the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and his co-accused, Sa’adatu Yaro, may have opted for a plea bargain arrangement to settle with the federal government.
The duo, alongside a company, April 1616 Investment Limited, purported to belong to Yaro, were to be arraigned before Justice Hamza Muazu on a fresh 20-count charge bordering on alleged breach of procurement laws.
The embattled CBN helmsman is facing trial over an alleged N6.9 billion procurement fraud before an FCT High Court sitting in Maitama Abuja.
If found guilty, he could spend up to five years in jail.
“Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine,” the law stipulates.
Wednesday update
Unconfirmed reports on the arrangement filtered out at the resumed trial Wednesday in Abuja when Emefiele’s lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kehinde Akinlolu, confirmed the shift in the arraignment.
Blueprint reports that although the arraignment of the suspended CBN boss did not come up as anticipated, but Emefiele was in court.
Emefiele’s appearance Wednesday was devoid of the usual presence of the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), who used to escort him to court.
However, the second defendant, Sa’adatu Yaro, and the lawyers, were absent in court.
Further checks by this medium revealed that the matter was not listed on the cause list of the court and none was ready to divulge any information as to the cause.
Consequent upon the new development, Blueprint confirmed that a new date may likely be issued by the Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf.
Emefiele’s siblings withdraw suit
In a related development, the siblings of the suspended CBN governor have withdrawn a suit filed against the DSS and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
The new development might not be connected with the reported move to settle out of court via plea bargain with the federal government in the charges against him.
The siblings – George and Okanta, Wednesday, told Justice E Okpe of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja that they were no longer interested in prosecuting the matter by filing a notice of discountenance of the case.
Emefiele’s siblings had taken the AGF and the DSS to court to press for the infringement on their fundamental human rights on account of issues surrounding the embattled suspended CBN governor.
The AGF and the DSS did not oppose the withdrawal of the case and the case was subsequently struck out by Justice Okpe.
