*A prosecution witness informs a Federal Capital Territory High Court, in Maitama, Abuja, how Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of CBN, allegedly awarded 45 contracts cumulatively worth billions of Naira, to his wife, Margaret, other family members and associates to supply Toyota vehicles

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

As the trial of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) continues, a prosecution witness has told a Federal Capital Territory High Court, in Maitama, Abuja, FCT, how the former CBN Chief allegedly awarded 45 contracts cumulatively worth billions of Naira, to family members, including his wife, Margaret Emefiele, and associates.

Appearing before the court on Monday in Abuja, the witness, Agboro Michael 鈥� an ICPC investigator 鈥� identified April 1616 Investment Limited, owned by Sa鈥檃datu Ramalan Yero, a CBN employee and Emefiele鈥檚 associate, as one of the two beneficiaries of the slew of contracts.

The witness also mentioned the other as Architekon Nigeria Limited, owned by Emefiele鈥檚 wife, Margaret Emefiele.

It was gathered one of Margaret鈥檚 brothers purportedly benefitted from some of the contracts in billions.

鈥淢y Lord, these companies were awarded about 45 contracts to supply Toyota Vehicles. We were worried as investigators as to how a particular company would get bids concurrently to supply vehicles.

“We did our investigation and discovered that the company was not even accredited by Toyota,鈥� Agboro said in his testimony as the seventh prosecution witness in the case.

He also noted: “In the companies, my Lord, one has Sa鈥檃datu鈥檚 husband and siblings as Directors, and the other one has Sa鈥檃datu as the Director of the company while she is still a civil servant.鈥�

The witness further told the court, that the inter-agency investigation involving the ICPC, EFCC, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), and the State Security Service (SSS) showed that the contracts were awarded by Emefiele to confer corrupt advantages on the beneficiaries.

It is recalled Emefiele, who was the governor of the CBN, now faces corruption charges preferred against him after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu removed him from office June 2023.

He is being prosecuted on amended 20 counts of conferment of corrupt advantages, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of $6.23 million.

During his re-arraignment January 2024, Emefiele however, denied the charges.

At the continuation of hearing in the case Monday, March 11 this year, Agbodo was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), report said.

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