In a most recent development, the court has ordered the immediate release/bail of the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Emefiele, who has been in detention for 151 days. The court ruling comes as a relief to the former bank chief, who has faced a series of legal challenges and detentions.
Emefiele was ordered to be released to his lawyers, who are tasked with producing him in court for his arraignment scheduled for next week or any other designated day. Additionally, the court has mandated that Emefiele must deposit his travel documents with the chief registrar of the court as a condition of his release.
The presiding judge emphasized the importance of ending detention without trial and stressed that the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation must comply with the court’s orders.
Emefiele’s legal troubles began when President Bola Tinubu suspended him as the apex bank chief on June 9, 2023. The Department of State Services (DSS) subsequently confirmed his custody. After legal challenges by Emefiele’s counsel regarding his prolonged detention, the DSS announced on July 13, 2023, that he had been charged in court.
Emefiele was brought to a Lagos court on July 25, 2023, where he pleaded “not guilty” to charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition filed against him by the Federal Government. However, in August, the DSS withdrew its charges against him, leading to his release.
Following his release, Emefiele was detained by the anti-graft commission. The former CBN chief has spent over 150 days in the custody of security agencies.
At the latest court hearing, Emefiele, flanked by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), arrived at the courtroom dressed in a yellow Kaftan and a cap.
Justice Adeniyi reaffirmed his order for Emefiele’s presence in court to consider his bail application. Emefiele’s lawyer, Mathew Burkaa, applied for his client to be granted bail on liberal terms, citing his lengthy detention as a basis for the request.
However, counsel for the Attorney General of the Federation and the Federal Government, Onyi Koleosho, objected to the bail application, arguing that Emefiele had been in EFCC custody for less than two months and that an arraignment was scheduled for November 15, 2023. Koleosho emphasized the need to avoid interference with ongoing investigations and prosecution.
Read also: 149 Days of Detention: Finally EFCC Presents Emefiele in Court
Counsel for the EFCC, Farouk Abdallah, acknowledged that the court’s decision on bail was at its discretion.
During the hearing, Emefiele asserted that he had not been served with any charges to date and assured the court that he was not a flight risk. His lawyer argued that granting Emefiele bail would not result in any loss to Nigeria.
Ultimately, the judge granted Emefiele bail, and the substantive motion on notice, as well as the preliminary objection, were adjourned to November 17, 2023, for further proceedings. The court’s decision marks a significant development in the legal saga surrounding the former CBN governor.
