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The FCT Excessive Courtroom in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday, mounted 12 February for the opening of the prosecution’s case within the trial of the suspended Central Financial institution Governor (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, on procurement fraud costs.
The choose, Hamza Muazu, mounted the date for the graduation of trial after Mr Emefiele pleaded not responsible to the amended 20 counts filed in opposition to him by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC).
The anti-graft company had charged him with amended 20 counts of felony conspiracy, conferring undue benefit, and breach of belief, amongst others, all of which he denied on Friday.
Mr Emefiele was beforehand charged with six counts and first arraigned on 28 November 2023, earlier than the EFCC filed the amended costs necessitating a re-arraignment.
The fee, within the modification of the fees, elevated the variety of counts from six to twenty, and dropped a former co-defendant’s identify, Sa’adatu Yaro, from the case.
EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), earlier introduced in court docket on Thursday that he had served the amended costs on Mr Emefiele.
However the former CBN governor’s lawyer, Matthew Burkaa, a SAN, requested for time to review the fees, a request the choose granted.
The choose additionally granted a request allowing Mr Emefiele to journey out of Abuja, the federal capital, however not outdoors Nigeria in the course of the trial.
The choose then mounted Friday for the re-arraignment of the defendant.
Re-arraignment
On the arraignment on Friday, Mr Emefiele pleaded not responsible when the 20 counts had been learn to him.
In a few of the counts, EFCC alleged that Mr Emefiele, in January 2023, cast a doc titled, ‘Re: Presidential Directive on International Election Observer Missions,’ dated January 2023 with reference quantity, SGF.43/L.01/201.
The EFCC alleged that Mr Emefiele made the declare understanding the identical to be false.
Within the case marked CR/577/2023, the prosecution alleged Mr Emefiele, on 8 February 2023, connived with one Odoh Ocheme, mentioned to be on the run, to acquire $6.2 million from the CBN, claiming that it was requested by the workplace of the Secretary to the Governor of the Federation (SGF) “vide a letter dated Jan. 26 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.”
The anti-graft company additionally alleged that “the contract for the renovation of the CBN Governor’s lodge, positioned at No. 2 Glover Highway, Ikoyi, Lagos, was awarded to an organization named Messrs. Architekon Nigeria Ltd, “whereby the duo are administrators and majority shareholders.”
The offences, based on the EFCC, contravened the provisions of sections 17, and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Act, 2000, in addition to sections 315, 363 and 364 of the Penal Code.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: Emefiele: Courtroom awards N100 million in opposition to EFCC, fee vows to attraction
The court docket allowed the defendant to proceed with the bail he was earlier granted.
The anti-graft company had, in August, first charged Mr Emefiele alongside Sa’adatu Yaro and an organization, April 1616 Funding Ltd, with alleged breach of the Procurement Act in respect of the acquisition of some automobiles.
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