A federal high court in Lagos has fixed July 25 for the arraignment of Godwin Emefiele, suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
In the upcoming court proceedings, Joseph Daudu, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has been appointed to lead the defendant’s case, while the honorable Nicholas Oweibo will preside as the judge.
Recall that the DSS charged him with two counts bordering on alleged possession of firearms.In the first count, Emefiele faces an accusation of possessing a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a valid license, which is in violation of Section 4 of the Firearms Act. This offense is punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act.
In the second count, the suspended CBN governor is accused of possessing 123 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without the required license, which is in violation of Section 8 of the Firearms Act. This offense is punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(il) of the same Act.
Emefiele had previously submitted an application before the court, seeking bail on self-recognizance. In his application, he argued that the charges leveled against him are bailable offenses and he has never been convicted of a crime and should enjoy the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, adding that he is not a flight risk.
Emefiele further emphasized that granting him bail would provide him with sufficient time to adequately prepare his defense. He assured the court that, as investigations have been concluded, there is no likelihood of him interfering with the case. The defendant pledged his commitment to appear for trial promptly and expressed his willingness to provide responsible sureties as required by the court.
