FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPLIED TO WITHDRAW THE ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF……..
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The Federal Government has applied to withdraw the “illegal possession of firearms” case it filed against the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) at the Federal Ministry of Justice Mohammed Bakodo Abubakar told Justice Nicholas Oweibo that the application followed the result of further investigations.
He made his application orally.
But defence counsel Joseph Daudu (SAN) opposed him, arguing that because the government was in disobedience of the court’s order granting Emefiele bail, its application could not be taken.
The judge had fixed today, August 15, 2023, for the hearing of applications seeking to stop further prosecution of Emefiele, and that of the Ministry of Justice seeking to appeal the bail granted to him by the court.
Emefiele was admitted to a N20million bail on a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and ordered his remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions.
But the DSS rearrested the embattled bank chief after fighting off NCoS officials on the court’s premises.
Speaking with journalists after the proceedings, Mr. Abubakar said the fresh charges with 20 counts were filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.