Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), appears to be in more trouble as the Federal Government has modified the charges brought against him once more.
The number of allegations has been raised from six to twenty. The counts include giving corrupt advantages, forgery, and criminal breach of trust.
Emefiele is currently on trial on six charges related to N1.2 billion theft, which were reduced from the Federal Government’s original 19 charges bordering on N6.9 billion procurement fraud.
In the modified accusation, Emefiele was charged with deceiving the Government of the Federation, SGF, into believing he was the Secretary in order to receive the sum of $6.2 million by pretense.
The Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, Section 1(1) and Section 1(3) of the same Act, according to the government, both prohibit and punish the act.
The charge reads,
“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele male, adult, and Odoh, Eric Ocheme (Still at large) on or about the 8th day of February 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly obtained by false pretence, the sum of Six Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand United State Dollar ($6,230,000.00) by falsely representing that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation vide a letter dated 26th January, 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201 requested the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide a contingent logistic advance in the sum of $6,230,000.00 “in line with Mr. President’s directive” which representation you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence.”
He was also accused of conniving with one Eric Ocheme who has been at large to commit forgery.
The government said the offence was contrary to Section 96 (1) and punishable under Section 364 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990.