Akin Kuponiyi
Justice Nicholas Oweibo presiding over a Federal High in court in Lagos, south west Nigeria today Tuesday granted an order enabling the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to leave to serve the Director General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi the order of the court admitting him to bail and directing him to be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional.
The order of the court was sequel to an application filed and argued before the court by the counsel to the embattled CBN Governor, Mrs Ogonnaya Sonuga.
On July 25, 2023, when he was arraigned before the court,on charges of illegal possession of fire arms and ammunition,the court granted Emefiele N20 mllion bail and ordered that he should be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Services.
The embattled CBN Governor is standing trial on a two-counts charge bordering on possession of a single barrel shot gun, as well as possession of123 rounds of live ammunition without licences.
He, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
However DSS, rearrested Emefiele shortly after the court’s proceedings.
However today the court granted him leave to serve the DSS through the office and person of the Director General Department of State Services Mr Yusuf Magaji Bichi with the Order of Court obtained on the 25 day of July, 2023 “admitting him to bail and directed that he should be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service by substituted means to wit: by publishing same in Three National Daily Newspapers Circulating within the Jurisdiction of the Court,the said service will be deemed as good and proper service on the Prosecutor/Complainant herein”
Consequently the presiding Judge Nicholas Oweibo granted the prayers.
In an affidavit in Support of the application sworn to by one Adeogun Ayodele Samuel, he stated that the Court had on July 25 ordered that the Defendant be remanded at Nigeria Correctional Service pending the perfection of the Defendant’s bail.
The deponent stated that despite the order granting him bail the Department of State Services (DSS) re-arrested and whisked him away from the premises of the Federal high Court on the 25th of July, 2023.