The former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele was on Friday released from the Kuje Correctional Centre after meeting up with his bail condition.
The ex-CBN boss who was been prosecuted for alleged procurement fraud, had been granted N300m bail with two sureties in like sum by Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja.
According to Muazu, the sureties must have certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama District of Abuja.
He also ordered Emefiele to deposit all his travel documents with the registrar of the court, adding that he must remain within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The judge, however, ordered that Emefiele should remain in Kuje Correctional Centre till he meets the bail conditions.
While rejecting the objection by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to Emefiele’s bail application, Justice Muazu disagreed with the anti-graft agency that the ex-CBN governor was a flight risk and could jump bail, jeopardise investigation or threaten the security of the country if granted bail.
After granting the bail application, Justice Muazu adjourned till November 28 for the commencement of the trial.
Emefiele stood trial on six counts bordering on procurement fraud to the tune of N1.2bn.
Meanwhile, after more than four months of investigation, the Special Investigator probing the CBN, Jim Obazee, said Emefiele and others embezzled billions of naira and committed other gross financial offences.
Obazee’s report which was submitted to President Bola Tinubu on December 9 2023, indicated that Emefiele who was in office from June 2014 to June 2023, was engaged “in fraudulent cash withdrawal of $6.23 million”, and perpetrated fraud in the redesign of the naira, while Emefiele kept 543.4 million pounds in the United Kingdom.
However, when asked if Emefiele has perfected his regained freedom, the Spokesperson, Kuje Correctional Centre, FCT, Adamu Duza on Saturday said “I can confirm to you that he has met his bail condition, hence he has no reason to remain in our facility.
“He met his bail condition and was released past 2pm yesterday (Friday).”
(Punch)
