A Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja ordered the remand of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after he was arraigned for alleged abuse of office.
Emefiele will remain in custody until Thursday, pending the judge’s decision on his bail application. Meanwhile, Omoile was remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services.
Before the court’s decision, Emefiele’s lawyer, Abdulakeem Ladi-Lawal, requested bail for his client on self-recognition or under lenient conditions. He urged the court to grant similar bail terms as previously issued by Justice Hamzat Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja and proposed that Emefiele be released to his legal representatives while bail terms were finalized.
The EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, did not oppose bail but urged the court to set conditions ensuring the defendants’ appearance for trial.
The charges against Emefiele include accepting gratification, receiving gifts through intermediaries, corruption, and fraudulent property transactions. Additionally, he is accused of bestowing unlawful benefits upon his associates, violating the Corrupt Practices Act of 2000. These charges were brought forth by the EFCC Prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, on April 3.
Furthermore, Emefiele faces separate proceedings by the EFCC at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja concerning alleged fraudulent financial dealings during his tenure as CBN Governor.