Court admits Emefiele to N20m bail

Justice Nicholas Oweibo of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday admitted the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to bail in the sum of N20 million.

Emefiele is standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on possession of a single-barrel shotgun as well as possession of 123 rounds of live ammunition without licences.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After his plea, defence counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, who led four other senior advocates, informed the court of a bail application filed on behalf of the defendant.

Defence counsel told the court that the same had been served on the prosecution, adding that there is a stamp from the office of the Attorney General as proof.

But the prosecutor, Mrs. N.B. Jones, objected to the bail application on the grounds that she had not been served with a copy of the application.

She informed the court that her office had been on the lookout for a possible bail application from the defendant but had seen none.

She added that since she has just become aware of the application in court, she now requires time to respond by way of affidavit since facts have been deposed.

Besides, she noted that since there is no sitting Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) at the moment, the defence could not have effectively served the same.

But defence counsel told the court that the prosecutor had no excuse not to proceed today in response to the bail application, as the same had been duly served on the prosecution’s office.

He argued that the office of the AGF is a creation of statute and cannot exist in a vacuum.

He urged the court to do so.

In a short ruling, the court agreed with the submission of defence counsel and urged him to move the defendant’s bail application.

Moving the application, defence counsel urged the court to admit the defendant to bail as he is not a flight risk and is a reputable former Governor of CBN.

He told the court that the defendant had been kept in custody for so long and had lost so much weight that he required medical attention.

The defence also informed the court that the defendant will be available to stand trial, adding that assuming the prosexutor had produced a witness, the defence would have been ready to proceed.

He therefore urged the court to grant the defendant bail.

In response, the prosecutor informed the court that she wss opposed to the bail application of the defendant as he was a flight risk

She told the court that the defendant had refused to submit his international passport, which indicates such flight risk

Besides, she also told the court that, being a very influential citizen of Nigeria, the defendant could also interfere with the case and the evidence intended to be led by the prosecution.

She urged the court to refuse bail

In his ruling, Justice Oweibo agreed with the submission of the defence counsel on the grounds that the offence for which the defendant is charged is bailable.

The court held that bail can only be denied where any of the circumstances set out in Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act are established.

The court held that the prosecution has not furnished such circumstances to the court.

The court consequently granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum

The court held that the surety must sign an affidavit of means. and have a landed property.

He urged that the defendant be remanded in custody of the correctional service pending perfection of bail

The court adjourned the case until Nov. 14 for trial

In the charge, the prosecutor told the court that the defendant, who resides at No. 8 Colorado Street in Maitama, Abuja, committed the offence on June 15 at No. 3b Iru Close, Ikoyi, Lagos.

He was alleged to have in his possession a single-barrel shotgun (Jojeff Magnum 8371) without a licence.

The defendant was also alleged to have in his possession, without licence, 123 rounds of live ammunition cartridges.

The offence contravenes the provisions of Sections 4 and 8 of the Firearms Act, Cap F28, Law of the Federation, 2004.