Court Orders EFCC to Release or Produce Former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
A judge of the FCT High Court in Abuja, Olukayode Adeniyi, has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to either release the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, immediately or produce him in court on November 6.
This order came after hearing Mr. Emefiele’s ex parte motion, filed as part of his lawsuit against the federal government, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the EFCC, and its chairperson, Ola Olukoyede.
Mr. Emefiele was detained by the State Security Service (SSS) on June 10, the day after he was removed as CBN governor, and later transferred to the EFCC about a week later.
The reasons for his detention have not been officially disclosed.
The EFCC had previously arraigned Mr. Emefiele on charges of “illegal possession” of firearms and live ammunition in July, but later withdrew the charges.
Subsequently, he faced corruption charges related to procurement fraud and the alleged misuse of over N6.9 billion in contracts awarded to a company linked to him and a CBN staff member.
These charges are pending at the FCT High Court.
The delay in Mr. Emefiele’s trial has raised questions, with some suggesting that it may be due to the complex nature of the multiple corruption cases against him.
However, the specifics of the allegations against him have not been officially disclosed. The court has ordered his release or production for the upcoming hearing on his bail application.
Source: Premium Times
