A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday granted the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Godwin Emefiele bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.
He was granted bail after pleading not guilty to the two counts bordering on the alleged illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Emefiele has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since June 10.
The Federal Ministry of Justice is prosecuting him on charges of possessing a single-barrelled shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence.
He is also accused of illegally being in possession of 23 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence.
The defendant allegedly committed the offences on June 15, 2023, at No. 3b Iru Close, Ikoyi area of Lagos.
SEE ALSO:
Emefiele: Lawyers seek court order to imprison DSS DG
Emefiele: Court issues one-week ultimatum to DSS
Earlier, Justice Nicholas Oweibo rejected the Federal Government’s claim that it had not received a copy of the bail application filed by Emefiele.
The judge held that there was evidence that the government had been served.
The bail application was filed by Emefiele’s lawyers led by Joseph Dauda (SAN).
Dauda had urged the court to hear the defendant’s application seeking bail on self-recognition, noting that his client had fulfilled all the conditions necessary to make the application ripe for hearing.
But the government’s lawyer, a deputy director of prosecution N.B. Jones told the court that she had not been furnished with the bail application.
“As I stand here, I have not set eyes on it,” she said.
