The federal government has reduced the criminal charges against Godwin Emefiele, formal governor of the central bank of Nigeria (CBN).
In August, the government had filed a 20-count charge bordering on procurement fraud against Emefiele.
He was charged alongside Sa’adatu Yaro, a female employee of CBN and her company, April 1616 investment.
The arraignment of the former CBN boss has been stalled three times.
On Wednesday, Emefiele’s arraignment was also stalled due to nationwide strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates.
Although the amended charges marked CR/577/2023, still borders on procurement fraud, the counts have been reduced to six with Emefiele as the sole defendant.
Emefiele was accused of using his position to confer a corrupt advantages of Yaro by awarding a contract of procurement of 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.
They include 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles at the cost of N854.7million, one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99.9million, one Toyota landcruiser V8 at the cost of N73.8million, two Toyota hilux shell specification vehicles at the cost of N44,200,00.
He was alleged to have awarded Yaro a contract of procurement of two Toyota landcruiser VXR V8 worth 138million.
