FG Opens Up on N50B Plea Bargain with Emefiele for His Release

The federal government has dismissed the report of a N50 billion planned non-prosecution plea bargain with the embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

CITYNEWS NIGERIA reports that Emefiele, who is currently in detention, was said to have entered into a plea bargain with the government on the condition of surrendering N50 billion to facilitate his early release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The plea bargain was also said to be aimed at cancelling the trial of the former CBN chief on a series of charges, including money laundering, breach of the Public Procurement Act and abuse of office.

However, in reaction, the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said the report of such a deal was not true.

Fagbemi said neither his office nor the presidency has had anything of such nature with Emefiele.

The position of the minister was contained in a statement by the director of information in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs Modupe Ogundoro.

The statement reads in part, “The attention of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to a report alleging that the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and the Federal Government of Nigeria, have agreed to a non prosecution plea bargain arrangement.

“The report further alleges that Mr.Emefiele and the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the attorney general, have signed a non-prosecution plea bargain agreement and that the agreement is awaiting the signature of President Bola Tinubu.

“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice hereby states clearly that these reports are completely false.

“It would be noted that the legal team representing Mr. Godwin Emefiele had expressed their intention in court at the last hearing to initiate a plea bargain arrangement.