The immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele has arrived his Abuja home after being released on bail upon the order of court.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court on Wednesday admitted Emefiele to bail following months of incarceration first in the custody of the Deparement of State Services, DSS and subsequently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Though he is at home, it was gathered that the former apex banker was, however, not in the best of health according to a source who made contact late on Wednesday.
His release follows the intervention of a powerful political actor from Delta State whose imprints are increasingly being made manifest in the Bola Tinubu administraiton.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi granted him bail based on his application for for enhancement of his fundamental right before him.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Emefiele has been in the detention of the Federal government since June.
Ruling on the bail application on the enforcement of his right, Justice Adeniyi held that the applicant has been in detention longer than the law stipulates.
He held that this is against the provision of sections 46 (2) of the 1999 constitution as amended.
” There must be an end to the number of days in detention.
” The applicant is hereby released on bail to his lawyers, Matthews Burkaa, SAN, Magaji Ibrahim, SAN and J J Usman, SAN.
” They must bring him to court on Nov. 15 for his arraignment,, secondly, he must deposit his travelling documents to the Registrar of the court” he held.
Emeifele was first detained from June, when he was removed as CBN Governor, by the Department of State Service (DSS) and later transferred to EFCC last week, seeking his release.
Emefiele, through his legal team, joined the Federal Government, Attirney-General of the Federation (AGF), EFCC chairman and the anti-corruption commission as respondents.
Before he was granted bail, Emefiele was scheduled to be arraigned by the Federal Government before Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT high court, Maitama, on August 17 alongside two others, Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro and a company, April1616 Investment Limited.
They were to be arraigned on a 20-count charge bordering on procurement fraud to the tine of N6.9billion, conferment of advantage and conspiracy.
The arraignment could, however, not hold due to the absence of Yaro, who was said to be sick and the matter was adjourned August 23. (NAN)
