By Oluwayanmife Ayobami
The scheduled arraignment of Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on charges of breach of procurement laws and contract inflation, has been postponed indefinitely.
The arraignment, originally set for Wednesday in a Federal Capital Territory High Court, was not included in the day’s proceedings.
Reportedly, the delay in the arraignment came at the request of Emefiele, who is currently in detention.
READ ALSO: FCT High Court dismisses DSS request for extended detention of Emefiele
Emefiele is considering a plea bargain
Reliable sources have indicated that both Emefiele and his co-accused, Saadat Yaro, are considering a plea bargain to settle with the Federal Government.
Kehinde Akinlolu, Emefiele’s lawyer, confirmed the rescheduling of the arraignment and suggested that a new date might be provided by the Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf.
Emefiele faces allegations of involvement in a ₦6.9 billion procurement fraud scheme. He and Yaro were initially charged with illegal possession of firearms, but those charges were withdrawn and replaced with the new 20-count charge. The charges include conspiracy, procurement fraud, and providing corrupt benefits to accomplices.
READ ALSO: Former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele to be arraigned for ₦6.9 Billion procurement fraud
Arraignment of Emefiele was postponed due to defendant’s absence
In another news, the scheduled arraignment of Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on a fresh 20-count charge, faced a setback on Thursday due to the absence of one of the defendants in the case.
Although Emefiele, who is facing legal issues, was present at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama to respond to the new charge against him, it was revealed that the second defendant, Saadat Yaro, was not available.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, representing the Federal Government in the case, informed Justice Hamza Muazu, the presiding judge, that Mrs. Yaro was unable to attend due to illness.
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