LAGOS, Nigeria – Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor, has approached the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking to halt any further prosecution efforts by the Federal Government.
This comes in light of charges leveled against him regarding the illicit possession of firearms and ammunition.
Mr. Emefiele’s appeal specifically urges the court to discharge him from all allegations, highlighting the government’s “brazen disobedience” of the court’s earlier ruling that granted him bail on July 25, 2023.
In a further request, he has implored the court to limit the government’s indulgence in legal processes until it complies with the previously stated bail decision.
Joseph Daudu, a renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, led the defense team in filing this application before Vacation Judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, the same judge who had previously admitted Emefiele to bail.
Drawing upon multiple legal precedents, including Section 6(6)(a) of the 1999 Constitution, relevant portions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and the court’s inherent powers, Emefiele is hoping for a suspension of the ongoing proceedings.
His aim is to secure enough time to utilize all legal avenues available to ensure the government and the Department of State Services, DSS, adhere to the court’s earlier order.
Senior Advocate Victor Opara, a member of the defense team, affirmed that the application, lodged on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, had been promptly served to the Federal Government the very next day.
The core tenet of the application is to uphold and safeguard the court’s credibility and stature, as well as champion the sanctity of the rule of law within Nigeria’s democratic fabric.
“It’s essential that our judiciary isn’t perceived as merely a paper tiger,” commented an insider close to the proceedings.
In another development, The Federal Government, only last week, had put forward an application opposing the bail provided to the suspended CBN chief.
All eyes are now set on Justice Oweibo, who has scheduled a hearing for the application on August 10, 2023.
Adding another layer to the unfolding narrative, an application by Nkiru Jones-Nebo, a deputy director of public prosecutions of the Federation, filed on August 3rd, has also been brought to light.
It suggests a shift in Emefiele’s custody from the Nigeria Correctional Services to the more stringent confines of the DSS.
