Court orders EFCC to release Emefiele

Emefiele arriving Ikoyi court, Lagos on Tuesday, July 25, 2023

An FCT High Court has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to either release the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, immediately or produce him in court on November 6.

The presiding judge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, gave the order after hearing an ex parte motion, marked M/122/2023 in a Motion on Notice with the number, FCT/HC/CV/040/2023, filed by Emefiele on Thursday, November 2, 2023.

Emefiele was first detained in June when he was removed as CBN Governor by the Department of State Service (DSS) and later transferred to EFCC last week.

Emefiele, through his legal team, joined the Federal Government, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), EFCC chairman, and the anti-graft agency as respondents.

In his ruling, the judge ordered EFCC to either release Emefiele unconditionally or in the alternative produce him before the court next Monday when the Motion on Notice would be heard for the purpose of being admitted to bail.

Emefiele was scheduled to be arraigned by the Federal Government before Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court in Maitama on August 17 alongside two others, Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro and a company, April1616 Investment Limited.

They were to be arraigned on a 20-count charge bordering on procurement fraud to the tine of N6.9 billion, conferment of advantage and conspiracy.

The arraignment could, however, not hold due to the absence of Yaro, who was said to be sick and the matter was adjourned on August 23.

Due to the plea bargain Emefiele was said to be discussing with the Federal Government, the matter is yet to be heard till date.

The Star