Ex-CBN Governor Emefiele Faces Six Charges Over Alleged N1.2bn Exotic Car Procurement.
Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, found himself before the court on Friday, confronted with a reduced six-count charge related to the alleged procurement of exotic cars amounting to N1.2 billion.
The charges, initially standing at 20 and totalling N6.5 billion, were downsized, with Emefiele as the sole defendant in the revised case.
The charges, as per the amended sheet, still revolve around procurement fraud, accusing Emefiele of illicitly acquiring 43 vehicles between 2018 and 2020. The Federal Government contends that these luxury cars were purchased using funds totalling N1.2 billion.
In his court appearance, Emefiele pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge after it was presented to him during the bail application. The charges, initially filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), underwent modification after the former CBN governor’s release by the Department of State Services (DSS) on October 27. The government, through the EFCC, pursued an amended charge, keeping the focus on alleged procurement irregularities.
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The list of cars linked to Godwin Emefiele’s alleged spending spree includes:
- 37 Toyota Hilux vehicles: N854.7m
- One Toyota Avalon: N99.9m
- One Toyota Landcruiser V8: N73.8m
- Two Toyota Hilux Shell: N44.2m
- Two Toyota Landcruiser VXR V8: N138m
The amended charge, filed under suit number CR/577/2023 on November 15, sustains the allegations of procurement fraud.
Meanwhile, a forum, NPF, has raised concerns over perceived plans to re-arrest Emefiele, with accusations pointing towards support from President Bola Tinubu. The group issued a statement on Thursday, emphasizing the need to safeguard the integrity of the judiciary against potential threats to democratic principles.
Source: Ejes Gist News
