Godwin Emefiele, the ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was arraigned on 20 counts of corruption and forgery at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. Emefiele, donning an ash-colored pair of trousers and a dark jacket, entered the court with his legal team as the charges were read out.
The charges, amended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, accuse Emefiele of forgery, corrupt practices, and criminal breach of trust. Previously facing six counts related to N1.2bn procurement allegations, the charges now involve accusations of obtaining $6.2m by false pretense and conniving in forgery.
The Federal Government, initially filing 19 charges on procurement fraud, later reduced them to six before amending the charges. Emefiele is further accused of awarding a contract for CBN Governor’s residence renovation to his wife and brother-in-law, totaling N99.8m, violating anti-corruption laws.
Emefiele pleaded not guilty to the new charges, and the trial has been adjourned until February 2024. His legal counsel expressed compliance with the rule of law and readiness for the upcoming trial on the amended charges.