‘Procurement fraud’: FG reduces charges against Emefiele

The federal government has reduced the criminal charge preferred against Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In August, the government had filed a 20-count charge bordering on procurement fraud against Emefiele.

Emefiele was charged alongside Sa’adatu Yaro, a female employee of CBN, and her company, April 1616 Investment.

The arraignment of the former CBN boss has been stalled three times.

On Wednesday, Emefiele’s arraignment was also stalled due to the nationwide strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates.

Although the amended charge marked CR/577/2023, still borders on procurement fraud, the counts have been reduced to six with Emefiele as the sole defendant.

Additionally, the purported procurement fraud’s value was lowered from N6.9 billion to N1.2 billion.

Emefiele was accused of using his position to confer a corrupt advantage on Yaro by awarding a contract for the procurement of 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.

They include 37 Toyota Hilux vehicles at the cost of N854.7 million, one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99.9 million, one Toyota Landcruiser V8 at the cost of N73.8 million, two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification vehicles at the cost of N44,200,000.

He was also alleged to have awarded Yaro a contract for the procurement of two Toyota Landcruiser VXR V8 worth N138 million.

On November 8, Emefiele was granted bail and released, after spending 151 days in detention.