The Federal Government has charged former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele with obtaining $6.23 million by false pretence.
In the amended charge dated January 17 and filed for the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), Emefiele is accused of criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence and obtaining money by false pretence.
He is accused of conspiring with Odoh Eric Ocheme (at large) to obtain $6.23 million in the name of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The prosecution said he awarded multi-million naira contracts to a company in which his wife, Omoile Margaret, and brother-in-law, Omoile Macombo, are directors and major shareholders.
He is also accused of forging a document, titled: Re: Presidential Directive on Foreign Election Observer Missions, dated January 26, 2023, with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.
Emefiele allegedly claimed the document emanated from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Oyedepo informed the court about the amended charge at the resumption of proceedings in the case before Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama.
Obtaining by false pretence is one of the counts in the 14 charges added to the six counts earlier filed against the former apex bank boss.
Emefiele was arraigned on November 17, 2023, for allegedly using his position to confer corrupt advantage on a staff member, Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro.
He allegedly awarded contracts for the supply of vehicles to a company, April 1616 Investment Ltd, in which Yaro is a director, between 2018 and 2020, to the tune of N1,210,600,000.
Emefiele pleaded not guilty.
Defence counsel, Matthew Burkaa (SAN), informed the court that his client filed a motion for the variation of some of the conditions attached to the N300m bail earlier granted him.
Burkaa prayed the court to grant the motion, a prayer Oyedepo did not object to, but urged the court to ensure that the defendant remains within the country within the duration of the trial.
The prosecutor urged the court to direct the defence team to write an undertaking that the defendant would remain in the country.
