Fagbemi distances FG from Emefiele’s N50bn plea bargain

• Minister of Justice,  Lateef Fagbemi has distanced the Federal Government from the N50 billion planned non prosecution plea bargain with the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria governor Godwin Emefiele. This is contained  in a statement signed by the Director of Information in the Federal Ministry of Justice Mrs Modupe Ogundoro on Sunday in Abuja. Emefiele was reported to have entered a plea bargain with government on condition of surrendering N50 billion to facilitate his early release from the custody of the Department of the State Service (DSS). The plea bargain was also said to be aimed at cancelling the trial of the former CBN Chief on series of charges comprising money laundering, breach of Public Procurement Act and abuse of office.

Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN said that neither his office or the Presidency have had anything of such nature with Emefiele. “The attention of the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to a report by Sahara Reporters 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 report further alleges that Emefiele and the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, have signed a non-prosecution plea bargain agreement and that the agreement is awaiting the signature of President Bola Ahmed 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. “However, no such arrangement has been reached with Emefiele or his representatives. We wish to advise the media and members of the public to kindly disregard the said false report. The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice will continue to take all actions in the interest of the Nigerian public”, the statement said. (NAN)