Emefiele Seeks to Block New EFCC Witnesses as Procurement Trial Continues
Embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has urged the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja to prevent the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from calling additional witnesses in his ongoing procurement fraud trial.
Emefiele’s lead counsel, Matthew Burkaa (SAN), argued that since the EFCC had originally listed only ten witnesses in its proof of evidence, it should not be permitted to expand its witness list midway through the proceedings.
However, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) countered the request, insisting that the additional testimonies were crucial to ensuring a comprehensive and fair presentation of the case. He maintained that restricting the prosecution’s ability to call further witnesses would amount to a denial of fair hearing.
After hearing submissions from both parties on Monday, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned the case to 20 March for a ruling on the matter.
Procurement Trial Intensifies
Emefiele faces a 20-count indictment, including allegations of criminal breach of trust, forgery, and conspiracy in the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/577/2023. The former CBN chief is accused of using his position to confer undue advantages on two firms, April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd, in the award of procurement contracts.
During Monday’s proceedings, the EFCC’s tenth witness, Salawu Gana, testified that the contract awarded to April 1616 for vehicle procurement adhered to the necessary procurement laws and CBN guidelines. Under cross-examination by Emefiele’s defence team, Gana stated that the bank’s procurement department had thoroughly evaluated all submitted quotations before selecting April 1616 based on its lowest bid.
He further revealed that Emefiele merely approved the contract based on the recommendations of the CBN Tenders Board. Stressing that the former CBN governor was not a member of the board, Gana noted that neither he nor any of the five procurement officers involved in the recommendation had been charged by the EFCC.
No Direct Link to Emefiele, Witness Admits
In a significant moment during his testimony, Gana acknowledged that he had not seen any evidence of payments from April 1616’s accounts to Emefiele. According to the witness, corporate registration documents showed that Emefiele was neither a director nor a shareholder in the company.
Additionally, Gana confirmed that the former CBN governor did not directly instruct or influence him to favour April 1616 in the procurement process, noting that he reported to his immediate supervisor, Ekanem Akpan, and not to Emefiele.
Meanwhile, the EFCC’s counsel presented volumes of exhibits detailing the bidding processes for 45 different vehicle supply contracts awarded by the CBN to April 1616, RT Briscoe, and Globe Motors. Despite the evidence, Gana reiterated that April 1616 secured its contracts solely based on competitive pricing.
With the trial intensifying, all eyes remain on the court’s upcoming decision on whether the EFCC can call additional witnesses— a ruling that could shape the next phase of Emefiele’s high-profile legal battle.
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