Emefiele breaks down in court during arraignment for fraud

The suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele wept in Court on Thursday after the High court of the Federal Capital Territory adjourned his arraignment to August 23, 2023.

The case was stalled due to the absence of another defendant, Sa’adatu Yaro, in a corruption and conspiracy case brought against them by the Federal government.

Emefiele was seen weeping after the adjournment, while being consoled by some of his lawyers.

Emefiele, Yaro and a firm, known as April 1616 Investment Ltd, were accused of engaging in conspiracy and procurement fraud, among others.

He is also accused of conferring corrupt advantages on his associates, including Yaro, said to be a Director in April 1616 to the tune of N6.9 billion.

The accused were taken before the vacation judge, Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.

Emefiele was brought to court by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Immediately after the proceedings, Emefiele was returned to operatives of the Department of the State Service (DSS) who brought him to court under heavy security.

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Emefiele was picked up hours after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from office on June 10, 2023.

The DSS and Emefiele have had a turbulent relationship in the recent past. Last year, the agency accused the governor of several offences.

The DSS secretly requested a court order in December to arrest him on allegations of “financing terrorism, fraudulent activities, and economic crimes of national security dimension.”

The request was, however, rejected by the Federal High Court in Abuja because the security agency failed to present sufficient evidence to justify issuing of an arrest warrant. Emefiele faced criticisms, following his partisan posture during the primary election of the All Progressives Congress, last year.

The court had on July 25, 2023 granted Emefiele bail in sum of N20 million on a two-count charge of alleged illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. He was ordered to be remanded at the correctional centre pending perfection of his bail terms.

But the DSS rearrested the embattled banker after fighting off officers from the Nigerian Correctional service (NCoS) within court premises.