By Ayo Yusuf
The embattled Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to a two count charge of illegal possessions of firearm and ammunitions filed against him by the Federal Government.
The government also failed in its attempt to stop the Federal High Court Lagos from hearing the bail application filed by Mr. Emefiele, on the grounds that it did not receive any notice of such application.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo however rejected the government’s claim and ruled that there was evidence of the government being served with the application.
Mr. Emefiele’s lawyers, led by Joseph Dauda SAN, had asked the court to hear their bail application seeking self recognisance, stating that all necessary conditions for the application had been fulfilled.
They presented proof of service endorsed by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, contrary to the contention by the government’s lawyer, Nkiru Jones-Nebo, that they hadn’t received the application due to the absence of the AGF in the country.
Following the ruling by the presiding judge, the court dismissed the objections of the government and proceeded to hear the suspended CBN Governor’s bail application.
Mr. Emefiele had arrived the premises of the Federal High Court Lagos around 9:20am wearing a simple caftan and was immediately led into the court by a woman who helped cleared the way for him.
He did not speak to the throng of reporters and cameramen who had besieged the court premises before his arrival.
The suspended CBN governor is standing trial on two counts of possessing a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a license and the illegal possessing 23 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a license.
Both offenses are said to be contrary to Section 8 of the Firearms Act and punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(il) of the same Act.
It would be recalled that TheNewDiplomat reported how the Department of State Services had on July 13, 2023, filed a two-count charge against the suspended CBN governor shortly after a federal capital territory high court had ordered the DSS to release him.
The presiding judge, Hamza Muazu, had ruled that the security agency had the option of either charging Mr Emefiele to court within one week or releasing him on bail.
The judge was responding to a suit filed by Mr. Emefiele through his lawyer, Joseph Daudu, SAN, against the DSS and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), seeking an enforcement of his fundamental human rights.
Mr. Emefiele had been in DSS detention since June 9, when President Bola Tinubu suspended him and asked him to transfer his responsibilities to Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, deputy governor, operations directorate.
However, Justice Mua’zu agreed with the counsel to Emefiele that the continued detention of the suspended governor without trial, amounts to a gross violation of his fundamental human rights.
The judge, however, held that Emefiele failed to prove that his arrest, detention and investigation was unlawful since it was based on a valid court order.
