Court grants Emefiele N20m bail

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Court grants Emefiele N20m bail

Emefiele Granted N20 Million Bail After Pleading Not Guilty To Illegal Firearms Possession

Emefiele has been charged by the federal government for illegally possessing 123 cartridges of live ammunition.

COURT REJECTS FG’S OBJECTION TO BAIL APPLICATION

After Emefiele took his plea, his counsels, led by Joseph Daodu, a senior advocate of Nigeria, informed the court of a bail application. Daodu prayed that the court should grant bail to his client on self recognisance or on other liberal terms, pending the hearing and determination of the trial. “There is no counter affidavit from the federal government, this is an unopposed application. He is a renowned banker and can only stay at his house. He can’t travel anywhere,” Daodu said. But Nkiru Nebo-Jones, a deputy director of prosecution at the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF), opposed the bail application, saying she has not seen a copy of the document. Daodu said the office of the AGF was served the document of the bail application, adding that the proof of service endorsed by the AGF’s office was in the court’s file. He asked the court to end the intimidation of his client by the DSS and hear the bail application. However, Oweibo rejected the objection of the prosecution to the hearing of the bail application.

FURTHER BAIL CONDITIONS

According to the ruling of the presiding judge, the surety must own land that is subject to the court’s jurisdiction and must be sworn to an affidavit of means. Emefiele was instructed to leave his passport in the court registry. In addition, the judge decided that the CBN governor should remain in custody until his bail conditions were fully satisfied. A new date of November 14, 2023, was set for the case.

BACKGROUND

Emefiele was ordered to delegate his duties to Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, the deputy governor of the operations directorate, by President Bola Tinubu on June 9. The Department of State Services (DSS) revealed the next day that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons” and that he was being held. A federal capital territory high court mandated that the DSS bring Emefiele to court on July 13 if they have a solid case to make. Emefiele should be released on bond if he is not taken to a suitable court within a week, according to the presiding judge, Hamza Muazu. The DSS has stated that Emefiele had access to family members and medical professionals while under its custody. A federal high court in Lagos has approved bail for Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) suspended governor, in the amount of N20 million. According to a ruling issued on Tuesday by the presiding judge, Nicholas Oweibo, the accusations against Emefiele are bailable. With one surety in the same amount, bail was approved. The two-count accusation involving the alleged illegal possession of firearms was brought against Emefiele earlier, and he entered a plea of not guilty. Emefiele has been charged by the federal government for illegally possessing 123 cartridges of live ammunition.

COURT REJECTS FG’S OBJECTION TO BAIL APPLICATION

After Emefiele took his plea, his counsels, led by Joseph Daodu, a senior advocate of Nigeria, informed the court of a bail application. Daodu prayed that the court should grant bail to his client on self recognisance or on other liberal terms, pending the hearing and determination of the trial. “There is no counter affidavit from the federal government, this is an unopposed application. He is a renowned banker and can only stay at his house. He can’t travel anywhere,” Daodu said. But Nkiru Nebo-Jones, a deputy director of prosecution at the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF), opposed the bail application, saying she has not seen a copy of the document. Daodu said the office of the AGF was served the document of the bail application, adding that the proof of service endorsed by the AGF’s office was in the court’s file. He asked the court to end the intimidation of his client by the DSS and hear the bail application. However, Oweibo rejected the objection of the prosecution to the hearing of the bail application.

FURTHER BAIL CONDITIONS

According to the ruling of the presiding judge, the surety must own land that is subject to the court’s jurisdiction and must be sworn to an affidavit of means. Emefiele was instructed to leave his passport in the court registry. In addition, the judge decided that the CBN governor should remain in custody until his bail conditions were fully satisfied. A new date of November 14, 2023, was set for the case.

BACKGROUND

Emefiele was ordered to delegate his duties to Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, the deputy governor of the operations directorate, by President Bola Tinubu on June 9. The Department of State Services (DSS) revealed the next day that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons” and that he was being held. A federal capital territory high court mandated that the DSS bring Emefiele to court on July 13 if they have a solid case to make. Emefiele should be released on bond if he is not taken to a suitable court within a week, according to the presiding judge, Hamza Muazu. The DSS has stated that Emefiele had access to family members and medical professionals while under its custody.

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