In the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, a prosecution witness has revealed that contracts were awarded without competitive bidding during his tenure.
The 10th Prosecution Witness (PW10), Stephen Salau Gana, testified before Justice Hamza Mu’azu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, stating that a CBN contract worth N99.9 million was granted to April 16 16 Investment Limited through direct procurement.
The company, owned by Sa’adatu Ramalan Yero, a CBN staff member, was awarded the contract to supply vehicles without meeting the required conditions for direct procurement.
Gana, who served as head of the CBN’s Procurement Office under Emefiele, explained that direct procurement is typically used in cases of emergency, or when there is only one manufacturer or sole distributor. However, he testified that none of these conditions applied in this case, and that April 16 16 neither held exclusive dealership rights nor was the sole supplier for the vehicles.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Emefiele on 20 amended charges, including conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and obtaining by false pretenses, amounting to $6.23 million. The trial is set to continue on November 13, 2024.
