FG reveals why Emefiele, co-defendant were absent from court

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar, sheds light on the absence of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, and his co-defendant from court on Wednesday.

The federal government had recently lodged a 20-count charge amounting to N6.9 billion against them, involving allegations of violating procurement laws and inflating contracts.

Despite the anticipation for their arraignment in a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday, the court’s schedule did not list the proceeding. Moreover, neither Emefiele nor his co-defendant, Saadat Yaro, were present, and there was an absence of any unusual security activity around the court premises. Legal representatives from both sides were also conspicuously absent.

This marks the second time their planned arraignment has been postponed. Reports had circulated that Emefiele had considered a plea bargain with the government in response to the charges.

Sources familiar with the situation revealed that Emefiele and his co-accused, Saadat Yaro, have chosen to pursue a plea bargain to resolve their case with the government.

However, the DPP, speaking to Premium Times in Abuja, clarified that Emefiele’s absence from Wednesday’s arraignment was due to security concerns surrounding the court.

Abubakar stated, “You remember at the last sitting, some angry persons mobilized to the court threatening to lynch him (Mr. Emefiele). We were ready to bring the defendants to court for arraignment on Wednesday, but we received an intelligence report that some people were out to foment trouble. So, we had to shelve the arraignment.”

Regarding the rumored plea bargain, Abubakar maintained that neither Emefiele, his co-defendant, nor the prosecution had formally proposed such an agreement. He emphasized that while there’s no ongoing application for plea bargaining within the Ministry of Justice, the legal framework allows for such arrangements, and if any request emerges, it will be considered.

A plea bargain is a legal process enabling defendants facing charges to plead guilty to lesser crimes before or during trial, often resulting in reduced sentences.