Godwin Emefiele, the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was hit with 20 further accusations on Tuesday by the federal government of Nigeria.
This is the government’s request to drop the “illegal possession of firearms” claim it made against the temporarily suspended head of the top bank.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo was informed by Mohammed Bakodo Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the Federal Ministry of Justice, that the application was made as a consequence of additional research.
Orally, he submitted his application.
However, defense attorney Joseph Daudu (SAN) opposed him, claiming that the government’s application could not be considered because it was disobeying the court’s ruling giving Emefiele bail.
The judge had ordered Emefiele’s remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, pending the completion of his bail conditions, on July 25, after admitting him to a N20 million bail on a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
However, the DSS re-arrested the troubled bank’s CEO when he fought off NCoS representatives on the court’s grounds.
According to information obtained, the government in Abuja has brought new accusations against Emefiele.
After the day’s events, Mr. Abubakar spoke with journalists and revealed that new charges, which include 20 counts, had been filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
Emefiele is accused of “conferring unlawful advantages” in one of the counts.