The Federal Government has distanced itself from a report that it had executed a non-prosecution plea bargain with former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) said the government had no such a deal even though Emefiele’s legal team mentioned it during a court hearing.
The statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Modupe Ogundoro, reads;
“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. Godwin 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, GCFR.
“The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice hereby states clearly that the report is 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 Mr. Godwin 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.”