Court strikes out illegal arms charges preferred against Emefiele

Charges of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition preferred against suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele has been struck out.

The charges were struck out by a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday.

The arraignment of the suspended CBN governor on a fresh 20-count chargeo on Thursday, was stalled at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court sitting at Maitama. This was due to the absence of one of the defendants in the case.

Consequently, Justice Muazu adjourned the case till August 23.

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At the Federal High Court in Lagos, Justice Nicholas Oweibo struck out the charges against Emefiele for lack of diligent prosecution. This followed an application by the Federal Government to withdraw the charges.

The oral application was made on Tuesday by Mr Mohammed Abubakar. Abubakar is the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, in the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Abubakar had said that the application was informed by emerging facts that needed further investigations.

He had prayed the court to grant the application.

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Emefiele’s counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN), had, however, opposed the application. Daudu argued that the government was in disobedience of the court’s order granting Emefiele’s bail and, therefore, should not have its application entertained by the court.

“We have an application that the government has flouted the court’s order. It says the respondent/ defendant should be remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Service,” he submitted.

He added that the application for withdrawal of charges must be in writing.

NAN reports that the court, on July 25, admitted Emefiele to N20 million bail after he was arraigned on a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.