The Lagos State Special Offences Court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, has granted the ex-Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, bail of N50 million and two sureties.
The embattled CBN governor was remanded on Monday after pleading “not guilty” to the 26-count charge of alleged abuse of office, accepting gratification, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
After his arraignment, Emefiele’s lawyer, Abdulakeem Ladi-Lawal, had particularly asked the court to impose the same bail conditions earlier granted to the defendant by Justice Hamzat Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja and that he be released to his lawyers pending the perfection of the bail terms.
The EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, did not oppose the bail application but urged the judge to impose conditions that would compel the defendants to go to court for their trial.
However, in his ruling today, Justice Rahman Oshodi granted him bail in the sum of N50 million, with two sureties in like sum. The court also held that the sureties must be gainfully employed and have three years of tax payments with the Lagos State Government.
Justice Oshodi also ordered that the sureties must show proper identification and be registered in the Lagos State Bail Management System.
The judge stressed that he was satisfied with the bail conditions of one million naira earlier given to Mr. Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Isioma-Omoile, who was standing another charge before Justice Olufunke Sule-Hamzat in the Yaba Division of the Lagos High Court.
He also maintained that the bail documents must be transferred to the special offences court and registered in the Lagos State Bail Management System.
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