The Federal Government has distanced itself from any plea bargain arrangement with the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
This was as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), refuted reports that he signed a non-prosecution plea with the embattled former CBN governor.
Recall that some media reports had recently claimed that Emefiele and the Federal Government, represented by the AGF, had signed a plea bargain, pending the approval of President Bola Tinubu.
The stalling of Emefiele’s trial at a Federal High Court in Abuja for fraud over N6.9 billion in procurement had fueled speculations that he may have settled for a plea bargain with the Federal Government on the matter.
However, in a statement on Sunday by the spokesman for the Ministry of Justice, Modupe Ogundoro, the AGF described the report as false.
The AGF said no such agreement exists between his office and the embattled former CBN governor.
“The attention of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to reports alleging that the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and the Federal Government of Nigeria have agreed to a non-prosecution plea bargain arrangement.
“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 Godwin Emefiele had expressed its intention in court at the last hearing to initiate a plea bargain arrangement. However, no such arrangement has been reached with Mr. Godwin Emefiele or his representatives.”
