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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opened its case within the trial of former Central Financial institution of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, on prices of procurement fraud on the FCT Excessive Court docket, Abuja, on Tuesday.
The EFCC charged Mr Emefiele with six counts of alleged breach of procurement process within the award of the contract to April 1616 Funding Restricted.
The anti-graft company had earlier in August filed 20 counts of procurement fraud towards Mr Emefiele alongside an worker of the CBN, Sa’adatu Yaro, and her firm, April 1616 Funding Restricted. The costs contain corrupt buy of some autos for the CBN.
However the prices have been subsequently amended to make Mr Emefiele the only defendant. It was pruned down from the unique 20 counts to 6 counts, which now contain alleged fraudulent N1.6 billion value of contracts.
Mr Emefiele pleaded not responsible to the fees.
Trial begins, first witness testifies
On the resumed trial on Tuesday, the EFCC known as its first witness (PW 1), Shamsudeen Abulili, to open its case.
The witness, an officer of the Company Affairs Fee (CAC) gave proof on how the corporate April 1616 Funding Restricted was integrated on 1 August 2016 with RC : 1350837 and tendered a number of paperwork on how the corporate was floated.
He learn out the names of the shareholders of the corporate which comprised Aminu Idris Yaro, with 500,000 shares, Maryam Aliyu Abdullahi, 350,000 shares and Saadatu Yaro with 150,000 shares.
He mentioned the corporate has 1 million shares at N1 every.
Led in proof by EFCC prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the witness mentioned that Mr Emefiele’s title was not in any approach linked with the corporate.
The witness defined that though CAC was liable for incorporation of the corporate, it has no roles within the day-to-day operating of the affairs of the entity.
Second witness
The second witness, Remigious Ugwu, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Financial institution, instructed the court docket how numerous sums of cash in thousands and thousands of naira have been paid by the CBN into the April 1616 Funding Restricted’s Zenith Checking account.
Particularly, he instructed the court docket how CBN paid N39,060,465 to the corporate on 19 October 2020; a sum of N421,953,488 paid to the corporate on 6 November 2020, and the N304,883,720 was paid on 23 November 2020.
Equally, he mentioned that N304,883,720 was paid to firm on 1 January 2021 and one other N304,883,720 paid the identical firm on March 23, 2021 by the CBN.
He admitted that not one of the funds was linked to Mr Emefiele’s title. He additionally mentioned he didn’t know the aim of the funds.
The witness, who tendered numerous paperwork on behalf of the prosecution, mentioned that the previous CBN governor was not a signatory to the checking account of the corporate.
Third witness
The third witness, Oluwole Owoeye, a Deputy Director, Banking Companies with CBN and former Secretary to Main Contract Tendering Committee MCTC of the CBN, mentioned his physique was liable for making certain CNN’s compliance with Procurement Act within the award of contracts.
When cross-examined by Mr Emefiele ‘s counsel, Matthew Burkaa, a SAN, Mr Owoeye knowledgeable the court docket that his committee was not concerned within the vetting of bidding for the award of contracts that led to prosecution of Mr Emefiele.
The witness defined that one other committee dealt with the bidding as a result of it was above the thresholds of his personal committee
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”My Lord, all I do know, via our information, is that contracts for award of car provides have been awarded to April 1616 however I can not say whether or not the contracts have been executed or paid for as a result of my committee performed no roles.”
He admitted that MCTC and Procurement Division have been absolutely practical whereas Mr Emefiele held sway as CBN governor.
After listening to those testimonies, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned till 18 January and 19 January 2024.
The previous CBN governor was accused of conferring corrupt benefits on a employees member of CBN, Mrs Yaro via awards of car provide contracts value over N1.2 billion in violation of part 19 of the Corrupt Practices and different Associated Offences Act 2000.
(NAN)
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