Monday, April 8, 2024 -The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has ordered the remand of the former Central Bank Bank (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Emefiele was arraigned on Monday, April 8,
by the federal government alongside his co-defendant, Henry Omole, before
Rahmon Oshodi, a judge at the Ikeja high court.
The two defendants pleaded not guilty to
the 26-count charges preferred against them.
Justice Rahman Oshodi then ordered that
Emefiele be remanded in EFCC custody over alleged abuse of office and $5.5
billion and N2.8 billion fraud.
Meanwhile, the judge ordered that
Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Isioma-Omoile, should be detained at Ikoyi
Custodial Centre.
The defendants counsel, Mr A. Labi-Lawal,
had in his two bail application urged the court to grant the defendants bail on
self recognition and on liberal terms pending the determination on the case.
Labi-Lawal, in his 31 affidavits, said the
first defendant (Emefiele) had complied with the bail application which was
given to him by Justice Muazu in his alleged fraud trial case going on in
Abuja.
He said the charges were bailable offences
and not a capital offence.
“Though the first defendant was granted
administrative bail by the prosecuting authority. He is seeking for bail based
on self recognition and he is ready to attend the court.”
“The court should also take into
consideration, the status of the first defendant as he was the former CBN
governor of the country,” he said.
The defence counsel said his client had
religiously presented himself before Justice Muazu in Abuja to answer the
allegations before him.
According to him, the first defendant was
not at flight risk, as he was the first person to arrive in court.
He also prayed the court to release
Emefiele to lawyer, pending the determination of the bail.
The EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN),
did not oppose the bail application moved by the defence counsel.
Oyedepo, however, urged the court to
exercise its discretion judiciously in granting bail to the defendants.
The prosecution had asked the court for a
trial date, following the plea of the defendants.
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