Ex-CBN Gov Emefiele Fails To Meet Bail Condition, May Spend Christmas, New Year In Kuje Prison 

THE former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele will remain in prison possibly beyond the Christmas and New Year festivities after failing to meet the hefty N300 million bail set by the court.

Emefiele’s lawyer, Mathew Burkaa, who declined to speak on camera, said Mr Emefiele is yet to meet his bail conditions.

The lawyer stated this on Monday as the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, adjourned the alleged procurement fraud case against his client.

The court adjourned the trial of the ex-bank chief to 18 and 19, January 2024 for continuation of trial.

Emefiele is standing trial on a six-count amended charge of alleged procurement of vehicles to the tune of N1.6bn. He had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He was granted bail on 17 November 2023 to the tune of N300m and two sureties in like sum and remanded at the Kuje Correctional Facility, pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

At the resumed hearing, a  prosecution witness, who is a top official of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), told the court that Mr Emefiele was not the owner or a shareholder in the April1616 Investment Limited, the company awarded the N1.2bn vehicle supply contract by CBN under Emefiele.

He was led in evidence by EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), while tendering several documents on how the company was incorporated on 1st August 2016.

He further read out the names of the shareholders of the company which comprises Aminu Yaro, Maryam Abdullahi, and Saadatu Yaro as joint owners of the entity.

Eighteen-Eleven Media