November 22, (THEWILL) – A Federal Capital Territory High Court, siting in Maitama, Abuja, has again, granted bail to Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Justice Hamza Muazu had on Monday, November 17, ordered that Emefiele be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the determination of his request for bail after the former apex bank chief pleaded “not guilty” to a 6-count charge bordering on alleged breach of procurement laws.
The court had adjourned ruling on the bail application until Wednesday, November 28, for the commencement of trial.
While arguing the bail application, Emefiele’s lawyer, Matthew Burkaa (SAN), had prayed the court to exercise its discretion in the ex-CBN’s favour because he has suffered too long in the hands of the Federal Government that kept him for 151 days in its custody.
Burkaa, on Friday, tendered documents including evidence of the bail earlier granted Emefiele by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi (also of the High Court of the FCT).
He had argued that the initial bail granted on November 8 by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi was a temporary relief, in view of the fact that the ex-CBN Governor had suffered unduly in custody, Burkaa said the bail application was filed when the defendant had been in state custody for 151 days.
On its part, the EFCC, through its counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), on Friday, opposed the bail application. He had argued that the order for bail earlier granted Emefiele was in respect of a fundamental rights enforcement suit, while this one is a criminal prosecution.
Ruling on the bail application on Wednesday, Justice Muazu granted Emefiele bail in the sum of N300 million and two sureties in like sum
The sureties must have certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama District.
Emefiele is mandated to deposit all his travel documents with the registrar of the court and must remain within the Abuja Municipal Council.
THEWILL reports the Federal Government had filed a 6-count amended procurement charges against Emefiele.
Marked CR/577/2023, and filed on November 8, the Federal Government accused the former CBN governor of using his position to confer a corrupt advantage on Yaro by awarding a contract for the procurement of 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.
The alleged vehicles include 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles at the cost of N854.7 million, one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99.9 million, one Toyota Landcruiser V8 at the cost of N73.8 million, two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification Vehicles at the cost of N44,200,000.
Emefiele was also alleged to have awarded Yaro a contract for the procurement of two Toyota Landcruiser VXR V8 worth 138 million.
According to the charges, the alleged procurement contravened Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Count one read, “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did use your position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 37 Toyota Hilux Vehicles at the cost of N854,700,000 only to April1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro is a director and thereby committed an offence.”
About the Author
