November 08, (THEWILL) – The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama has granted bail to Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Justice O. A. Adeniyi had on Thursday, November 2, while ruling on the ex pate application marked: M/122/2023 in a Motion on Notice numbered FCT/HC/CV/040/2023, challenging the continued detention of Emefiele, ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unconditionally release Emefiele or produce him in court on November 6, for bail.
The court, on Monday, reiterated its order after the EFCC failed to produce the former apex bank chief before it and adjourned the hearing until Wednesday, November 8, to effect the bail order
The ex parte motion filed on Tuesday, October 31, had the Federal Government, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Chairman of the EFCC and the anti-graft commission as respondents.
Ruling on the substantive motion on notice on Wednesday, Justice Adeniyi admitted Emefiele to bail.
Confirming the development, Emefiele counsel, Mathew Burkaa, said the former apex bank chief has perfected his bail and was asked to deposit his international passport.
Justice O. A. Adeniyi adjourned further hearing until November 15, for arraignment on a 20-count charge bothering on alleged procurement fraud.
Emefiele had been detained by the Federal Government since Saturday, June 10, after he was suspended as CBN Governor on June 9 by President Bola Tinubu.
The former apex bank chief, who had been in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) in Abuja since his arrest on June 10, was on Thursday, October 26, transferred to the EFCC.
THEWILL recalls that the Federal Government had filed 20 charges bothering on alleged procurement fraud against Emefiele along with a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April1616 Investment Limited.
However, the arraignment has been stalled until his recent transfer from the custody of the DSS to the EFCC.
The continued detention prompted the instant suit and application for release before Justice Adeniyi.
Emefiele approached the court on Tuesday, October 31, to enforce his fundamental human rights. He prayed the court for immediate release from EFCC custody.
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