PUNCH
The Federal Government has reduced to six counts the fraud charges it filed against the immediate-past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
The charges charges, bordering on alleged procurement, were originally 20.
In the original charge, the Federal Government alleged that the procurement fraud was to the tune of N6.5bn.
The original charges were first filed in August.
Emefiele was charged alongside a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro, and her company, April 1616 Investment.
Their arraignment before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja was stalled on two occasions, as the Department of State Services failed to produce Emefiele in court.
Following his release by the DSS and immediate re-arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on October 27, the Federal Government amended the charges against him.
In the amended charge sheet marked CR/577/2023, sighted by The PUNCH on Wednesday, the charges still border on procurement fraud, but the counts have been reduced from 20 to six.
Also, the quantum of the alleged procurement fraud was reduced from N6.9bn to N1.2bn.
Also, Emefiele is the only defendant in the new charge.
The defendants had been scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, the matter could, however, not proceed due to the ongoing strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress’ strike following an assault on the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State on November 1.
Workers in the court told our correspondent who had visited for the matter that no court was sitting.
They said the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria at the Federal Capital Territory High Court had directed them to join the strike.
Also, our correspondent did not observe the presence of lawyers and litigants on the court premises on Wednesday morning.
In the amended charge sheet, the Federal Government alleged that Emefiele illegally bought 43 vehicles between 2018 and 2020 worth N1.2bn.
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