The Federal Government of Nigeria says it did not sign a non-prosecution plea bargain with suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
The refuttal was made by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
A report recently claimed that Emefiele and the Federal Government, represented by the AGF, had signed a plea bargain, while the signature of President Bola Tinubu was being awaited to complete the process.
Emefiele and his associates were slated for arraignment over N6.9bn procurement fraud at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in August.
Speculations have been rife that he had opted for a plea bargain with the Federal Government on the matter because the case had been stalled till date.
But, Spokesman for the Ministry of Justice, Modupe Ogundoro, in a statement on Sunday, quoted the AGF as describing 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.”
