Court lightens strict bail terms that restricted Emefiele from leaving the FCT
Although Godwin Emefiele can now travel from one state to the other, his legal challenges remain severe due to the charges against him increasing from a meagre six to 20.
When Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court back in December granted Mr Godwin Emefiele’s bail request, it seemed like an upgrade for the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) after spending up to six months in prison.
But his release from the Kuje Correctional Centre on 24 December 2023 was wrapped around a strict condition which demanded him to stay put in the FCT where he has been arraigned on a six-count charge surrounding procurement fraud and public office favouritism.
That restriction has now been suspended following a successful application by Mr Emefiele’s lawyer Mathew Bukka, SAN. What this means is that the former governor can travel out of the nation’s capital but not out of the country.
In December, the ex-central bank chief had to pay ₦300million to fulfil his bail terms after he had initially submitted his travel documents to the relevant authority.
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Although he now has the high court’s consent to travel of the federal capital territory, that does not however mean his burdens have been lightened. According to reports, the charges against him have increased from a meagre six to 20.
The new charges cover a criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Mr Emefiele is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) whose counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) did not resist the relief granted to the accused, only that he should submit an undertaking that he would not leave Nigeria following the amendment of his bail condition.
It had seemed so obvious that the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor had it coming wrapping up May 2023 when a new Nigerian government led by President Bola Tinubu took over.
The following month came his suspension by the president, then afterwards his arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS), which was concerning contract approvals given to a CBN staff, Mrs Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro to supply luxury vehicles – that which implied a conflict of interest.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
