Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos has granted the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.
Justice Oweibo, however, ordered that the embattled CBN governor be remanded in Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail condition.
Mr Emefiele was charged to court by the State Security Service for possessing one single-barrel shotGun and 123 Rounds of live ammunition without a license.
Mr Emefiele pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge filed against him.
Following the “not guilty” plea, His counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), who led six other Senior lawyers, urged the court to grant bail on self-recognizance or 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,” Mr Daudu noted.
But the federal government, in its oral response, opposed the application, saying it had not been given time to respond in the spirit of fair hearing as enshrined in the constitution.
According to a counsel to the government, Ms Nkiru Jones, her team had information that the defendant’s refusal to hand in his passport indicated his capacity to abscond and evade trial.
“As the governor of the CBN, he is a powerful man and can intimidate the witnesses,” she stated.
“Granting him bail will intimidate the prosecution’s witnesses who have come forward to give evidence. He can evade trial based on his antecedents. We urge the court to dismiss the bail application.”
The judge who however rejected the Federal Government’s claim that Emefiele was a flight risk ruled that the government failed to provide any fact to support its claim.
Earlier, the Court rejected the Federal Government’s claim that it had not received a copy of the bail application filed by the suspended CBN Governor in his alleged gun possession trial.
Justice Oweibo held that there was evidence that the government was served.
The Federal Government, which is prosecuting Mr Emefiele, maintained that the offense was contrary to Section 4 of the Firearms Act, 2004, and punishable under Section 27 (1(b)) of the same Act.
In the second count, Mr Emefiele is accused of having in his possession 123 rounds of live ammunition (Cartridges) without a license, which is contrary to Section 8 of the Firearms Act, 2004, and punishable under Section 27 (1(b)(II)) of the same Act.
