- How Emefiele, nine others approved contracts for ex-CBN governor’s wife – Witness
An investigator with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Agboro Omowera, on Monday, told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja that 10 officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, including a former Governor, Godwin Emefiele, minuted on the documents for the award of multi-million contracts to April 1616 and Architekon Nigeria Limited.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had accused Emefiele of using his position to confer a corrupt advantage on his wife, Margaret, and brother-in-law by approving the payment of the total sum of N97.9m in favour of Architekon Nigeria Ltd, where the duo are directors for the supply of office furniture to the CBN.
He was also accused of awarding a contract for the external renovation of the CBN Governor’s residence in Lagos in the sum of N99.8m to the company.
The investigator, who is the seventh prosecution witness, while being cross-examined by the defendant’s counsel, Mathew Burkaa (SAN), stated that 10 persons acted on the documents with which the contracts were awarded.
But Omowera added that the buck stops on Emefiele’s table being the CBN governor at the time.
He said, “10 persons acted on the documents awarding these contracts.
“There are 10 minutes and one approval, so one person takes the responsibility.
“He (Emefiele) is the head of the CBN and the buck stops on his table.”
Burkaa, also asked the witness if Emefiele conferred a corrupt advantage on himself.
The witness said, “No. Why I said no is because we limited our investigation to his relatives and associates and not him.”
Earlier, Omowera while being led in evidence by the counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), told the court that the findings of his investigations showed that Emefiele conferred a corrupt and unfair advantage on Architekon Nigeria Limited and April 1616.
According to him, Emefiele’s wife, Margaret Omoyile, is listed as a director of Archtekon Nigeria Limited.
He added that Emefiele’s wife used her maiden name to register the company.
Omowera also said that a staff member of the CBN, Sa’adatu Yaro, is listed as the Director of April 1616 Investment Limited.
According to him, the company was awarded several contracts for the supply of over 45 Toyota Hilux Vehicles ranging from N854, 700,000 to N99, 900,000.
He added that his investigative team of different agencies including the Department of State Services, also found out that Yaro’s husband had other companies but they were not patronised by CBN except the one in which the wife was a director.
Omowera said, “In the second company, April 1616 Investment Limited, we also discovered that one of the directors of that company by name, Sahadatu Ramalan Yaro, was a director of April 1616 Investment.
“We discovered that the company was incorporated a few days after her employment with the CBN and she was posted to CBN Lagos office.
“In 2018, the company started to enjoy the patronage of the CBN in the procurement of particular vehicles, Toyota branded motors.
“During the period, this company was awarded about 45 different contracts
“My Lord, we were curious as investigators, how it was possible for a company that has no track record to continually win bids against Toyota-accredited bids.
“We tried to confirm whether this company was accredited by Toyota and to our surprise, it was not among the accredited bidders.”
The trial judge, Hamza Muazu, subsequently adjourned the matter till April 25 for the continuation of the trial.
The EFCC had declared Emefeile’s wife and three others wanted for allegedly conspiring with the former CBN governor to steal huge sums of money belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Senate inaugurates ad-hoc committee to probe N30trn CBN loan obtained under Buhari
In another development, the Senate on Monday inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to investigate the Ways and Means and the Anchor Borrowers Programme of the CBN.
Led by the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio and other senators to the inauguration, the move comes after a decision by the Red Chamber to probe details of the programmes based on monies given to state governments, manufacturers, aviation, banks, excess funding in the power sector, amongst others which raised the current debt profile of the country.
This was part of resolutions of the Senate after a debate over the report of the National Assembly Joint Committees on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Finance, National Planning, Agriculture, and Appropriation on the state of the economy.
In an extensive debate in early February, Senator Adamu Aliero had argued that some state governors including some retired ones in the Senate were beneficiaries of N18 billion as shock absorbers under the Ways and Means since 2015.
The debate had led to some lawmakers suggesting that a special committee be set up to scrutinize the N30 trillion intervention disbursements (some of which were grants) and ways to mop them up.
In his inaugural address to the ad-hoc committee chaired by Senator Isah Jibrin representing Kogi East, Akpabio charged the committee to leave no stone unturned in its investigation expected to span six weeks.
He enjoined members of the committee to set aside personal and partisan interests, focus on the task at hand, and approach their responsibilities with utmost balance, devotion, and impartiality.
Recognizing the sensitivity of the investigation at hand, Senator Akpabio reminded them to constantly engage with relevant stakeholders and consultants, to provide invaluable insights while maintaining open lines of communication with the executive and the public, but disclosing no aspect of the report until the task is concluded.
On his part, chairman of the ad hoc committee vowed to carry out the assignment devoid of compromise, urging the executive to release information and consistently avail themselves to the committee.
The inauguration was attended by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso; the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein; the Auditor-General of the Federation, Shaakaa Chira; the Director General, Debt Management Office, Patience Oniha, beneficiary ministries, departments and agencies, institutions, states, local governments, and others.
