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Nigerians are currently expressing their strong disapproval of the plea bargain pursued by Godwin Emiefele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, in connection with the criminal case brought against him by the federal government.

Social media platforms are buzzing with reactions from Nigerians who are voicing their dismay at Emiefele’s attempt to evade legal consequences. Many are advocating for the suspended Governor to undergo a proper trial and face the complete penalties under the law.

Emiefele is currently facing a 20-count charge in the Federal Capital Territory Court, accused of involvement in procurement fraud amounting to N6.9 billion, conspiracy, and providing illicit benefits to his associates. If proven guilty, he could potentially be sentenced to up to five years in prison without the possibility of a fine.

However, his attempt to settle the case out of court might result in him avoiding any form of incarceration. The Governor, who is currently facing charges alongside his co-defendant Sa’adatu Yaro and her business, April 1616 Investment Limited, was supposed to be arraigned in the FCT court on Wednesday. Yet, they were absent, and the case wasn’t listed on the cause list. The arraignment, initially slated for August 17, had previously been postponed due to Yaro’s absence.

However, reports have surfaced indicating ongoing discussions regarding a plea bargain involving Emefiele, his co-defendant, and the federal government.

A plea bargain entails a negotiated arrangement between a defendant and a prosecutor, wherein the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser offense or one of multiple charges. In return, the prosecutor typically offers concessions, often in the form of a more lenient sentence or the dismissal of other charges. This legal concept is outlined in Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015.

Suleiman Yahaya, a partner at AO Olori-aje &co terserly Chambers, clarified that this law was designed to prevent defendants from consuming the court’s time and resources through a full-fledged trial.

“The defendant acknowledges guilt. The only punitive action they can take is to seize the proceeds of the crime,” Yahaya explained. “In Emefiele’s case, he would be required to reimburse the government for all the allegedly embezzled funds. By doing so, a custodial sentence might be avoided, and he could be fined instead of being incarcerated.”

In response, citizens are adamant that Emefiele should face consequences. Their frustration stems from the difficulties they endured due to the new naira policy implemented by the suspended Governor. They perceive plea bargains as a tactic employed by the wealthy to evade justice, which they believe perpetuates corruption within the country.

“Oh no!! No plea bargain; he must go to jail. Perhaps that will serve as a deterrent to others,” @blessedpat2018 wrote.

@CharlesIboma tweeted, “The Federal government should not enter into a plea bargaining with Emefiele. Through the backing of his godfather, this feeble-minded man suffered the majority of Nigerians; businesses collapsed, and even some paid supreme prices. Enough of a plea bargain; sinners must pay for their sins.”

@Blaqprince13 also wrote, “That’s the order of the day now … Steal 5b, enter a plea bargain, negotiate and return 3b. These rich folks have mastered the game. The more they stole, the more chances they had to escape justice.

Another netizen, Tony Abolaji, said,

“No plea bargain of any sort. Emefiele broke all the rules, from using Nigeria’s monies to finance his Presidential ambition, weakening the entire country monetarily and then mismanaging our monies on a colossal scale. What plea bargain? He belongs in jail just like some others.”

@Avsuccess22 also wrote, “This man messed up with the economy, and naira let him face the music. What about people who died during the naira scarcity due to his policies? People walk naked begging for their own money to feed their families.”

According to Akorede Kabir, another Nigerian,  “Plea Bargain Should Be Scrapped to make people face the consequence of their actions”.

@Nanjwan Karimi tweeted, “Please bargain is dubious; I don’t know how it was smuggled into our laws. To me, a plea agreement is a way of strengthening and institutionalising corruption.”

@Maazi Chukwudi wrote, “Out of court?

That means nobody will go down, all the atrocities will be covered, case closed! 9ja !

@sesu-josep thinks that “Emefiele has something about Tinubu and other APC criminals that may be exposed in the court, so FG wants to save face.”

@LawrenceChika23 also wrote, “They are hiding to tell us why the central bank governor can not mention his accomplice. We understand the game.”

A former attorney general and commissioner of justice, who preferred to remain anonymous, said:

“Our ruling elite have worked out that the bigger the amount stolen, the more likely you are to walk away with a good chunk of your loot after a “plea bargain”. A plea bargain means a lesser sentence or immunity from prosecution everywhere else. Here, it is a statutorily-sanctioned basis for negotiating how much-stolen money the thief will keep.

In this case, we can safely assume that Mr. Emefiele is probably making a “very strong” case for a “plea bargain”. He ran a racket, and every racketeer has a little notebook with names in it. The book is his calling card.”

Emiefele’s offence

Initially, the federal government had charged the troubled Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with unlawful possession of firearms. However, after conducting its own investigations, the federal government requested the Federal High Court in Lagos to withdraw these charges. Subsequently, a fresh 20-count charge was filed against him, alleging violations of Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000m. If proven guilty of engaging in corrupt enrichment, the suspended CBN governor could face a prison term of five years without the possibility of a fine.

According to the quoted section, “Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine.”

The charges, endorsed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar; Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Nkiru Jones-Nebo; and eight other officials from the Federal Ministry of Justice, assert that the three accused individuals were involved in the purchase of a fleet of more than 98 high-end vehicles and armored buses worth around N6.9 billion.

One of the charges specifically states: “You, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, utilized your position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide an illicit advantage to Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, an employee of the Central Bank of Nigeria. This was achieved by awarding a contract for the supply of 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles, valued at N854,700,000, to April 1616 Investment Ltd, a company where she serves as a director, thereby committing an offense.”

As a reminder, President Bola Tinubu suspended the CBN governor from his role on June 9 to facilitate an investigation into the allegations against him.

During a court session in Lagos on July 25, Emefiele was granted bail with a bond of N20 million on two charges involving the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. The court directed that he be held at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre until his bail conditions were met.

However, following a confrontation with prison officials at the court premises, the Department of State Services reapprehended the embattled Governor.