In an ongoing trial at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu, a key prosecution witness, identified as PW3, disclosed on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, that the forty-five (45) contracts awarded by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, did not undergo scrutiny by the Contract’s Tender Committee of the bank.
Oluwole Owoeye, the Head of the Secretariat of the Major Contract Tender Committee, MCTC, elucidated that, according to the bank’s protocol, any contract exceeding N10 million is mandated to undergo evaluation by the MCTC. However, despite falling within the threshold that necessitated MCTC scrutiny, these contracts were not subjected to the Committee’s oversight.
The witness further clarified that the MCTC, responsible for vetting companies and ensuring the disclosure of directors’ particulars, failed to perform its due diligence in this case. This lapse resulted in the circumvention of essential checks, such as preventing contracts from being awarded to companies where any CBN staff holds a directorial position.
Emefiele, facing six counts of procurement fraud, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, November 17, 2023. During Tuesday’s proceedings, the EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, presented three witnesses, including Owoeye. The other two witnesses, Samsideen Romanus from the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, and Remigious Ugwu, a compliance officer with a commercial bank, provided their testimonies before the court. Owoeye’s disclosures were admitted as exhibits F1 to F45 by the court.
Justice Muazu subsequently adjourned proceedings in the matter to January 18 and 19, 2024.
