With 151 days in the custody of Federal Government security agencies, the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, was recently granted bail by a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory.
Despite fierce opposition from the Federal Government, including the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the court allowed Emefiele to prepare for his scheduled arraignment on November 15.
The court’s decision to grant bail was primarily based on the fact that Emefiele had been held in government custody beyond the legally permissible duration. The Judge also took into account that the Federal Government had already completed its investigation into the allegations against Emefiele as early as August this year.
In his ruling, the Judge stressed the significance of upholding principles of justice and fair play, particularly highlighting the relevance of Section 35 in Nigeria’s Constitution. He emphasized that prolonged detention without trial by the federal government needed to be addressed.
The Attorney General and the Federal Government vehemently opposed Emefiele’s bail request, expressing concerns about potential interference with the November 15 arraignment, yet without providing specific details on how such interference might occur. The EFCC also raised objections to the bail request, arguing that Emefiele had not spent three months in its custody.
However, the applicant’s legal team countered these objections, asserting that claims of potential interference were based on speculation, as Emefiele had not been deemed a flight risk. It was revealed that he had undergone investigation by an inter-ministerial team consisting of investigators from the EFCC, the Police, and the Department of State Services (DSS).
As part of the bail conditions, Emefiele would be released to his senior lawyer and would need to deposit his travel passport with the Court Registrar until his formal arraignment.
