The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has firmly refuted false reports surrounding the testimony of its 10th witness in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele. The commission is addressing misleading claims that prosecution witness Salawu Gana justified the procurement process during Emefiele’s tenure, which allegedly followed legal and regulatory guidelines.
According to EFCC’s clarification, this narrative is inaccurate. On Monday, February 3, 2025, Gana, who served as the former head of the CBN’s procurement department, testified before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. He revealed that during Emefiele’s administration, the contract awards for the procurement of vehicles were manipulated to favor one particular company, April 1616. Gana explained that the company had prior knowledge of the bids submitted by two other competitors, RT. Briscoe and Globe Motors. This information leakage allowed April 1616 to strategically underbid the others and secure the contract.
In his testimony, Gana explained how the bidding process worked. “We initiated the procurement process, asking various dealers like Globe Motors, RT Briscoe, and April 1616 to submit their quotations. April 1616 was given a guide to the in-house estimate, while the other bidders were not. When the bids came in, April 1616 bid N69 million, RT Briscoe bid N77,050,000, and Globe Motors bid N77,179,999. The in-house estimate was N69,750,000, making April 1616’s bid the lowest, and thus, the winning bid,” he said.
This disclosure raised further concerns, with Gana confirming that the bidding process was skewed and the winning bidder was able to lower their quote because they were aware of the competing bids. He also noted that the other bidders were not provided the same information, which raised serious questions about fairness and transparency in the procurement process.
Meanwhile, in a significant development, Emefiele’s defense team, led by Matthew Burkaa, has filed an application asking the court to prevent EFCC from calling additional witnesses beyond the 10 witnesses listed in the proof of evidence. Burkaa argued that all necessary documents had already been tendered and cross-examined, and allowing further witnesses would be an overreach of the court’s process.
EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, countered the application, stating that denying the anti-graft agency the right to present further evidence and witnesses would infringe on their right to a fair hearing. Oyedepo urged the court to reject the defense’s motion, arguing that it would be in the interest of justice to allow the EFCC to call additional witnesses if needed.
Justice Hamza Muazu, presiding over the case, has adjourned proceedings until March 20, 2024, to rule on the application.
Emefiele, who is facing a 20-count amended charge, stands accused of corrupt practices, including criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy, and obtaining money by false pretenses, amounting to a staggering $6,230,000. As the case continues to unfold, both the prosecution and defense are locked in a tense battle, with public scrutiny mounting over the unfolding details of the alleged procurement fraud.
As the trial progresses, Nigerians continue to follow closely on social media platforms, where the case has become a topic of heated discussions, with many weighing in on the allegations and the larger issue of corruption within Nigeria’s institutions.
