By Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
AFTER 151 days in the custody of security agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria, a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, on Wednesday, admitted the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to conditional bail.
This came in spite of stiff opposition from the Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court ruled that Emefiele was permitted to go home and prepare for his November 15 arraignment.
Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi, who granted the bail, had hinged his decision on the fact that Emefiele had stayed in government custody beyond the time stipulated by law.
The judge also predicated his decision on the fact that the Federal Government had completed investigation into the allegations against the former CBN chief and had even prepared the charged against him as far back as August this year.
In a ruling on the application for bail argued by Mathew Burkaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Justice Adeniyi held that it was in the best interest of justice and fair play, especially the provision of section 35 of Nigeria’s Constitution, to follow the rule of law.
The judge specifically said that there must be an end to detention without trial by the Federal Government.
Stonix News reports that both the Federal Government and AGF re-presented by Oyin Koleoso had strongly objected to Emefiele’ s request for bail on the ground that he would interfere with the November 15 arraignment, but did not tell the court how the interference would come to play.
EFCC, through its counsel, Farouk Abudalla, insisted that Emefiele had not spent three months in its own custody and urged the court to refuse the bail request.
Counsel to the applicant, however, ruptured the opposition of the Federal Government, claiming that the likelihood of interference in arraignment was speculative.
He told Justice Adeniyi to disregard the claim of EFCC that Emefiele was brought to its custody only October 26.
Abudalla informed the court that the former CBN boss was investigated by a team of inter Ministerial Investigators from EFCC, Police and the Department of the State Security Service (DSSS) which jointly constituted government agency.
Meanwhile, to be left of the hook, Emefiele is expected to be released to his Senior lawyer, Matthew Burkaa SAN, who must produce him any day the Federal Government chooses to arraign him.
Emefilele is also to deposit his travelling passport with the Registrar of the Court, pending his formal arraignment.
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