In a recent development, the Kuje Correction Centre has officially confirmed to THE WHISTLER report regarding the release of former Central Bank governor, Godwin Emefiele. Following our earlier report on Friday, prison spokesperson Abubakar Umar disclosed in a text message to our correspondent that Emefiele successfully met the bail conditions set by the court, stating, “He has perfected his bail condition, as such, no need to keep him more than necessary.”
Emefiele, who had faced challenges in securing temporary freedom after being granted bail of N300 million in Abuja, now faces renewed scrutiny following a fresh indictment by the Special Investigator on the CBN and Related Entities, headed by Jim Obazee.
The report submitted to President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday exposed Emefiele’s alleged funneling of millions of dollars of public funds into his private onshore accounts. The Obazee report recommended Emefiele’s prosecution, citing shady and fraudulent handling of the Ways and Means of the CBN, which reportedly led to the defrauding of the country of billions of naira.
Apart from the procurement fraud charges amounting to N1.2 million, Emefiele is accused of bypassing CBN laws to redesign the country’s currency, the naira, without the president’s approval.
Sources within Kuje Prison suggest that Emefiele may not stay in Abuja for long, possibly going into hiding following the latest indictment. Despite our attempts to contact Emefiele’s lawyers for comments on the matter, none could be reached.
In a related development, Oluwole Owoeye, a former CBN staff member, testified in the ongoing fraud trial of Emefiele at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. Owoeye, a deputy director at the CBN, asserted that Emefiele was not responsible for making payments to contractors. During cross-examination, he clarified that the responsibility lay with the Director of the Procurement and Support Services Department (PSSD) at the CBN, stating, “all payments must pass through the Director of PSSD.”
The trial has been adjourned until January 18 and 19, with Emefiele facing charges related to a N1.2 billion fraud and alleged diversion of public funds for personal use, including luxury car purchases.
