The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted bail to the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor Godwin Emefiele in his alleged gun po
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted bail to the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor Godwin Emefiele in his alleged gun possession trial.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo released Emefiele on a N20 million bail bond with one surety in the like sum.
The judge made the order following the banker’s plea of not guilty to a two-count charge filed against him by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
He rejected the Federal Government’s claim that Emefiele was a flight risk. The judge ruled that the government failed to provide any fact to support its claim.
Emefiele had filed the application through his team of counsel led by Chief Joseph Daudu, SAN, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association.
After several legal fireworks by Emefiele’s counsel challenging his prolonged detention by the DSS, the secret police bowed to pressure on July 13, 2023 and announced that the suspended apex bank chief has been charged to court.
Earlier today, he arrived in court with a Bible in hand to answer to his charges of alleged illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The DSS in its two-count charge of illegal processions of firearm and ammunition had accused Emefiele of possessing a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence.
In the second count, the service charged him with illegally possessing 23 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence. The offence was also said to be contrary to Section 8 of the Firearms Act and punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(il) of the same Act.
President Bola Tinubu had on Friday, June 9, 2023, suspended Emefiele as the apex bank’s Governor and had directed that the bank’s Deputy Governor of Operations, Folashodun Shonubi, resume office in an acting capacity.
