AGF Fagbemi Speaks On ‘Plea Bargain Deal’ With Emefiele

AGF Fagbemi Speaks On ‘Plea Bargain Deal’ With Emefiele

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, has refuted any involvement in signing a plea bargain agreement with the former central bank governor, Godwin Emefiele, who recently left office.

Emefiele, who has been in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS) since his suspension in June, is under investigation for his actions during his nine-year tenure at the CBN. It was later announced that he had submitted his resignation.

The federal government subsequently filed corruption charges totaling N6.9 billion against him at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.

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On two separate occasions in August, the court postponed the arraignment of Emefiele and his co-defendant, Sa’adatu Ramallan-Yaro.

The delayed arraignment led to speculation that Emefiele may have negotiated a favorable resolution with the government regarding the charges.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, dismissed the speculation, confirming that no plea deal had been struck with the government.

A plea bargain is a legal process allowing a defendant facing charges in court, usually before or during a trial, to plead guilty to a lesser offense in exchange for a more lenient sentence.

In a statement on Saturday, Fagbemi categorically denied the plea deal reports, labeling them as “false.”

The minister, however, acknowledged that Emefiele’s legal team, led by Akinlolu Kehinde, had expressed their intention in court during the last hearing to explore a plea bargain arrangement.

“It should be noted that the legal team representing Mr. Godwin Emefiele had indicated 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,” clarified Mr. Fagbemi.

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