Emefiele: Court Struck Out Firearms Charge, As Abuja Planned Arraignment Suspended
The Planned arraignment of Mr Godwin Emefiele, the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was delayed on Wednesday morning due to the absence of the second defendant, Sa’adatu Yaro.
Emefiele, Yaro, and a firm known as April1616 Investment Ltd were accused of engaging in conspiracy and procurement fraud, among other charges.
The former CBN governor is also accused of conferring corrupt advantages on his associates, including Yaro, said to be a director in April 1616, to the tune of N6.9 billion.
The accused were presented before a vacation judge, Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
Emefiele was brought to court by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS).
At the start of the proceedings, Counsel to the Federal Government and Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, informed Justice Hamza Muazu that Mrs Saadat Yaro fell ill in the morning and could not make it to the court.
While a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday struck out the illegal possession of firearms charge against the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, accusing the Federal Government of lacking respect for the rule of law.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo struck out the case following an application from the Federal Ministry of Justice to withdraw it. The judge agreed with the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mohammed Bakodo Abubakar who moved the application to withdraw the two-count charge relying on Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The defence through its lead counsel Mr Joseph Bodunrin Daudu SAN had argued that the prosecution could not withdraw the charge unless the government purges itself of its disobedience to the court’s July 25, 2023 order granting Emefiele bail.
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