Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting at Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday admitted the detained former Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to bail pending his arraignment before the court.
The Judge hinged his decision on the fact that Emefiele had stayed in government custody beyond the time stipulated by law.
According to him, Emefiele claimed he had been in government agencies’ custody for 151 days.
In spite of stiff opposition from the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, permitted Emefiele to go home and prepare for his November 15 arraignment.
The judge granted bail to the embattled Emefiele after listening to his bail application as argued by his lead counsel, Mathew Burkaa SAN.
He held that he agreed with the submission of Emefiele’s counsel that the court is empowered by the provision of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) to make order deemed fit during the pendency of a remand order.
The judge held that today’s sitting of the court on the matter was necessitated by EFCC’s refusal to abide by the court’s early order to release Emefiele unconditionally immediately.
Adeniyi held that there must be an end to detention without trial and subsequently ordered the release of the embattled Emefiele on bail.
He added that he be released to the three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) in his legal team: Burkaa, Magaji Ibrahim and J.J Usman, respectively and charged the senior counsel to produce Emefiele in court on November 15 for his arraignment before Justice Muazu.
He further ordered Emefiele to deposit all his travel documents to the Senior Registrar of the court.
