A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, granted bail to the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele in the sum of N20 million.
Emefiele was arraigned on two counts of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, after over six weeks since his arrest and detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Oweibo, said the charges against Emefiele are bailable.
Emefiele appearing before the judge pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him by the Federal Government (FG).
After the plea, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that his client has been in detention for weeks. He also told Justice Oweibo that the application for bail has been filed and served on the prosecution.
The bail was granted with one surety.
The suspended CBN boss had pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge bordering on alleged illegal possession of firearms preferred against him by the secret police.
DSS however raised objections to the court hearing the bail application, insisting that it has not been served.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had suspended Emefiele as CBN’s governor on June 9, 2023. A day after, the DSS confirmed that the suspended CBN chief was in its custody.
A High Court in Abuja had on July 13, 2023, ordered that DSS charge Emefiele to court within one week or release him.
