Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Tuesday granted bail to the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.
Emefiele is standing trial for illegal possession of a single-barrelled shotgun (Jojeff Magnum 8371).
He is also accused of illegally possessing 23 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence.
He is alleged to have committed the offences on June 15, 2023, at 3b, Iru Close, in the Ikoyi area of Lagos.
Emefiele, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Counsel for Emefiele, Mr Joseph Daudu, urged the court to grant bail 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 opposing bail. Also, the defendant is a renowned banker and can only stay at his house, he can’t travel anywhere.”
However, counsel for the federal government, Ms Nkiru Jones-Nebo, in an oral submission, opposed the bail application, insisting that the prosecution had not been given time to respond in line with the provisions of fair hearing enshrined in the constitution.
She also said that the prosecution had information that the defendant’s refusal to hand in his passport suggested his capacity to evade and abscond from his trial.
“As the governor of the CBN, he is a powerful man, and can intimidate the witnesses. Granting him bail will intimidate the prosecution 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,” she argued.
But the court overruled the federal government.
In his ruling Oweibo said the charges against the defendant were bailable.
Oweibo also ordered that Emefiele should be moved from the custody of the DSS and remanded at a correctional centre pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions.
However, the freedom was short-lived as he was rearrested by men of the Department of State Services.
The Guardian reported that a fight broke out between the DSS operatives and prison officials as to who should keep Emefiele in their custody.
The DSS challenged the prison officials who moved to take Emefiele into custody and it led to a tussle.
The prison officials then exited the court in their vehicle and the DSS reportedly took Emefiele out of the courtroom into their waiting vehicle and sped off.
