Fresh indications have now emerged that Godwin Emefiele, the suspended former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is reportedly negotiating a plea bargain with the Federal Government on the fraud charges, leveled against him.
ENigeria Newspaper had earlier reported that the Federal Government slammed a 20-count charge on Emefiele on offenses bordering on alleged breach of procurement laws and contract inflation, fraud, and others.
The Director of Public Prosecution at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar had in an oral application, told Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos that the illegal possession of firearm charge against Emefiele was being dropped.
This was consequent to fresh 20 more charges filed against the disgraced former CBN governor in Abuja. Among the charges against Emefiele was an alleged N6.9 billion procurement fraud that landed him in court on Thursday, August 17, 2023, in Abuja for arraignment.
The arraignment was however stalled due to the absence of the second defendant who is said to be indisposed.
Although the former CBN Governor who is the first defendant was present in court, the second defendant, a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro, was not in court over excuses relating to her health.
In a recent development, ENigeria Newspaper understands that the arraignment on a 20-count charge originally slated for Wednesday by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has now been stalled as it was enlisted among cases today.
DAILY POST reports that it gathered at the courtroom that the arraignment was shifted at the instance of the detained CBN Chief.
Authoritative sources confided in our correspondent that Emefiele and his-co accused, Saadat Yaro, have opted for a plea bargain policy to settle with the Federal Government.
Emefiele’s lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kehinde Akinlolu, confirmed the shift in the arraignment.
He said that a new date may likely be issued by the Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf.
At the time of this report, operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, who used to escort him to court, and his legal team were absent.
Meanwhile, the court has commenced proceedings on other matters on the cause list.
