Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has been released from the Kuje Correctional Centre after his legal team successfully met the conditions for his bail. His lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mathew Burkaa, confirmed the information in an exclusive statement to Channels Television.
Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court had earlier granted bail to Emefiele, setting the amount at N300 million with two sureties required to provide the same sum. The former CBN Governor faced a six-count charge related to procurement fraud and allegations of using his position to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Yaro, a CBN staff. The charges specifically pertained to the awarding of a contract for the procurement of 43 vehicles valued at N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.
During his time in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Emefiele was subject to specific bail conditions, which included depositing all his travel documents with the court registrar. Additionally, he was restricted to the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and could not leave the specified area.
The trial proceedings related to the alleged procurement fraud have already commenced before Justice Hamza Muazu, and the release of Emefiele on bail marks a significant development in the legal proceedings. The former CBN Governor will now be able to participate in his defense as the case unfolds actively.
Emefiele’s legal team, led by the accomplished Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mathew Burkaa, is expected to mount a robust defense against the charges leveled against their client. The intricacies of the case and the alleged improprieties in the procurement process are likely to be thoroughly examined as the legal proceedings progress.