Abuja High Court Grants Bail to Emefiele from the Custody of EFCC
An Abuja High Court has granted bail to the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele, from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi on Wednesday, in his order, said there must be an end to detention without trial.
The judge ordered Emefiele to be handed over to his team of three senior advocates.
Justice Adeniyi ordered the lawyers to provide him in court on November 15 for his planned arraignment, or any other dates he is to be arranged in court.
Emefiele was also directed to surrender his international travelling document to the court registrar, pending his arraignment.
The former CBN governor had been in EFCC custody since he was arrested in June, shortly after he was suspended from office by President Tinubu.
Justice Adeniyi then asked Emefiele if he had been served any court process relating to the November 15 case.
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“I have not been served, My Lord, “ Emefiele said.
In his ruling, the judge held that Section 298(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, empowered the court to make necessary orders, even when there is a remand order against an applicant.
“The fact that must not be overlooked is that he has been in custody for over 100 days. Even when a detention warrant subsists the court can make orders releasing an applicant during the remand period,” he added.
He noted that his proposed arraignment was not enough reason to deny him bail.
Adeniyi, however, released the former CBN governor to his counsel and ordered them to produce him at court proceedings.
He said, “The fact that he’s going to be arraigned will not stop the court from admitting him to bail. There must be an end to prolonged detention. I hereby order him to be released on bail to his counsel who are charged to produce him on the day prospectively scheduled for his arraignment or at any other date that he is required to appear in court.
“All his international documents must be deposited with the registrar of this court pending the determination of his case.”
