…after one and a half months in DSS custody
Suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, was on Tuesday granted a N20 million bail with one suretee in like sum.
Emefiele’s bail condition, according to the court, includes producing a suretee with landed property within the jurisdiction of the court in Ikoyi, Lagos, depositing his passport and also producing a civil servant not below level 16 to perfect his bail.
The suspended apex bank boss was arraigned and charged before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Tuesday.
The prosecution accused Emefiele of illegally having in his possession a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371).
Operatives of the Department of State Services brought Emefiele to court amid tight security.
He was also charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Government argued that the offence violates Section 4 of the Firearms Act, Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004, and is punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act.
Justice Oweibo granted bail to Emefiele after listening to the submissions of his counsel, J.B Daudu (SAN).
The judge rejected Federal Government’s claim that Emefiele was a flight risk, ruling that the government failed to provide any fact to support its claim.
President Bola Tinubu had suspended Emefiele as the CBN governor on June 9, 2023. A day after, the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed that the embattled and suspended CBN chief was in its custody.
After several legal fireworks by Emefiele’s counsel challenging his prolonged detention by the DSS, DSS bowed to pressure on July 13, 2023 and announced that the suspended CBN governor had been charged to court.
On Tuesday, Emefiele was brought to court by DSS operatives in a hilux vehicle.
While appearing before Justice Oweibo, Emefiele, 61, pleaded “not guilty” to the two counts of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition filed against him by the Federal Government.
Emefiele’s lawyer, Daudu, in his submission, urged the court to grant the suspended CBN boss bail on self-recognition or on other liberal terms, pending the hearing and determination of the trial.
Daudu said, “There is no counter affidavit from the Federal Government opposing bail. Also, the defendant is a renowned banker and can only stay at his house, he can’t travel anywhere.”
But counsel to the Federal Government, Nkiru Jones-Nebo, in an oral submission, opposed the bail application, insisting that the prosecution had not been given time to respond in line with the provisions of fair hearing enshrined in the constitution.
The counsel also said that the prosecution had information that the defendant’s refusal to hand in his passport suggested his capacity to evade and abscond from his trial.
“As the Governor of the CBN, he is a powerful man, and can intimidate the witnesses. Granting him bail will intimidate the prosecution witnesses who have come forward to give evidence. He can evade trial based on his antecedents. We urge the court to dismiss the bail application,” Jones-Nebo argued.