A prosecution witness, Stephen Gana, on Monday revealed before an Abuja High Court that two companies belonging to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, were given preferential treatment in vehicle procurement contracts. This disclosure was made during the ongoing trial of Emefiele for alleged procurement fraud brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr. Gana, who testified as the Prosecution Witness 10 (PW10), previously served as the Head of the Procurement Department at the CBN. Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Gana confirmed that he was in office when contracts for vehicles, documented in Exhibits F4 to F45, were approved.

According to the witness, the CBN acquired Toyota vehicles from a company called “April 1616 Company Ltd” at a cost of N99.9 million via direct procurement. Specifically referring to Exhibit F5, Gana testified that two Toyota Hilux vehicles were purchased for N23.1 million each through selective bidding. He added that April 1616 Company was awarded the contract based on its submission of the lowest bid, which aligned with the CBN’s in-house cost estimate.

Gana further clarified that at the CBN, procurement contracts could be awarded through two processes: direct procurement or selective bidding. The choice of method, he explained, depended on the guidance of the Director of the Procurement Department, who worked in conjunction with the Deputy Director, the Head of Procurement (himself), and the procurement officer.

The testimony suggests that these companies, linked to Emefiele, benefited from favorable contract terms during his tenure as CBN governor. This alleged preferential treatment forms part of the EFCC’s broader investigation into procurement irregularities within the CBN under Emefiele’s leadership.

After the testimony, the prosecution counsel, Oyedepo, requested an adjournment different from the previously scheduled date of October 22. Oyedepo informed the court that he would be appearing in another case filed by Kogi State and 15 other states against the EFCC at the Supreme Court.

Defense counsel, Matthew Burkaa, did not object to the adjournment request but raised concerns about the rising costs associated with the case’s postponement, urging the court to take this into consideration.

In response, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned the matter until November 13 for further hearings and to consider the prosecution’s application.

Earlier in the proceedings, Burkaa had opposed the prosecution’s introduction of additional evidence. He challenged the EFCC’s amended proof of evidence and the late inclusion of two witnesses who were not listed initially. Burkaa clarified that the defense was not contesting the charges against Emefiele but objected to the sudden appearance of new witnesses, which he argued could alter the dynamics of the case.

The trial, which has garnered significant attention, continues to unfold as more details about Emefiele’s tenure as CBN governor emerge, raising questions about procurement practices and potential breaches of due process. The coming weeks will be crucial as both the prosecution and defense prepare to present further arguments.