Emefiele challenges trial, citing government defiance
Suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has taken a decisive legal move in his ongoing battle.
He is urging a Federal High Court in Lagos to intervene, contending that the ongoing prosecution by the government violates a court order that granted him bail on July 25, 2023.
Emefiele’s central request is for the court to exonerate him from the charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, alleging the government’s blatant non-compliance with the court’s bail orders.
On the flip side, the government has lodged an application to appeal Justice Nicholas Oweibo’s previous order, which had granted Emefiele bail.
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Initially, Justice Oweibo had endorsed bail in the amount of N20 million after Emefiele was arraigned on charges related to the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The charges levelled against Emefiele encompass allegations that he was in possession of a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a license, and also that he held 123 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without the required license.
Emefiele, in response, has entered a plea of not guilty to these charges.
However, a clear departure from the court’s instruction to detain Emefiele at the Ikoyi Custodial Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Services until he fulfills the bail conditions occurred when the Department of State Services (DSS) intervened, re-arresting and detaining him.
Emefiele’s application before the court seeked not only his discharge from the charges levelled by the government but also a restraining order against the federal government’s access to court privileges until they demonstrate compliance with the bail ruling.
Emefiele’s legal strategy draws from the bedrock of the 1999 Constitution, bolstered by pertinent sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and the inherent powers of the court.
Furthermore, he urged Justice Oweibo to temporarily suspend the ongoing proceedings until he exhausts all available legal avenues to ensure the government and the DSS adhere unequivocally to the court’s directives.
Emefiele underscores that his legal recourse seeks to uphold the court’s integrity and the rule of law within the framework of the country’s democracy.
Against this backdrop, Justice Oweibo has earmarked August 10 as the date for the hearing of these applications, marking a pivotal juncture in Emefiele’s dogged pursuit of justice and legal remedy.
