Godwin Emefiele, the embattled former Central Bank Governor has been granted bail by the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Wednesday.
The court ordered that he should be released to his counsel and must be produced in court when needed.
The presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi, also ordered him to deposit all his travel documents with the court’s registrar.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi granted him bail based on his application for for enhancement of his fundamental right before him.
BRANDPOWER reports that Emefiele has been in the detention of the Federal government since June. Emefiele who has been in the custody of the Federal Government security agencies for over 150 days was brought to Court in compliance with the order of Justice Olukayode Adeniyi.
Ruling on the bail application on the enforcement of his human rights, 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 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, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), EFCC chairman and the anti-corruption commission as respondents.
Emefiele was scheduled to be arraigned by the Federal Government before Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT high court t, 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.
BRANDPOWER reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, earlier on Wednesday, in Abuja bowed to the order of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in the matter of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele and presented him in court as ordered by the judge.
The anti-graft agency, the EFCC had produced former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory ahead of the hearing of his fundamental rights enforcement suit against the agency.
Counsel of the EFCC had on Monday informed the court that the agency couldn’t act on the order made on November 2 for his unconditional release because the counsel for the former Central Bank chief provided incomplete court documents with respect to the said order.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi had given the order following an Ex-Parte application by the former CBN bank Chief who was arrested by the EFCC shortly after he was released from custody of the Department of State Services DSS late October.
Emefiele’s counsel, Matthew Burkaa had informed the Court that his client as of Monday been in custody for 149 days, and it’s now looking likely that he may regain his freedom on the 151st day being this Wednesday.
