BREAKING: FG Presses Fresh 20 Count Charges Against Former CBN Governor, Emefiele

The Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has filed an amended 20-count charge before a Federal Capital Territory High Court, in Abuja, against Godwin Emefiele, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

VerseNews reports that the new allegations against Emefiele now include conspiracy to commit procurement fraud, forgery, criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy to commit crime.

He was re-arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on procurement fraud on November 18 and remanded in Kuje Prison.

He was accused of corruptly enriching himself as CBN governor by using Sa’adatu Yaro, a staff of CBN, to award a contract for the procurement of 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.

According to the charge sheet, the vehicles included 37 Toyota Hilux 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 at the cost of N44,200,000.

In a report submitted to President Bola Tinubu last year, Jim Obazee, a special investigator probing CBN and related entities, accused the former CBN boss of using Ways and Means advances by the CBN to enrich himself.

According to the report titled ‘Report of the Special Investigation on CBN and Related Entities (Chargeable Offences)’, Mr Emefile allegedly utilized two Dubai-based companies, Luxis International DMCC (Luxis) and Magna International DMCC (MAGNA), which are owned by Vink Corporation Middle East FZC.

He reportedly used these companies as proxies to establish Titan Trust Bank and to acquire Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN).