The Federal Government has amended the charges against Godwin Emefiele, embattled ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The Economic and financial Crimes Commission on Thursday filed an amended 20-count charge against the Emefiele at the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
The charges, originally six counts, have now been expanded to include offences such as criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud, and conspiracy to commit a felony.
This move comes two months after Emefiele’s initial arraignment on six counts of alleged procurement irregularities in awarding a contract to April 1616 Investment Limited.
In August 2023, the anti-graft agency initially brought charges against Emefiele, Sa’adatu Yaro, and the company, accusing them of violating the Procurement Act while purchasing vehicles.
Notably, the charges against Emefiele were initially amended in November, leading to the removal of co-defendants and a reduction in the counts to six.
During his plea, Emefiele asserted his innocence and was subsequently granted bail by Justice Hamza Muazu on November 22, 2023.
The bail conditions stipulated a N300 million bond, requiring two sureties with property in Abuja’s Maitama district. Additional conditions included surrendering travel documents and restricted movement within the city.
