FORMER Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele has regained his freedom from the Kuje Correctional Facility following the perfection of his conditions.
The spokesperson for the Kuje Correctional Centre, FCT, Adamu Duza, confirmed this development to newsmen, stating, “I can confirm to you that he (Emefiele) has met his bail conditions, hence he has no reason to remain in our facility. He met his bail condition and was released past 2 pm yesterday (Friday).”
A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu had granted Mr Emefiele bail in the sum of Three Hundred Million Naira (N300,000,000.00) and two sureties in like sum. The sureties, the court ordered, possess certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama District of Abuja. Mr Emefiele was further directed to deposit all his travel documents with the registrar of the court and remain within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The granting of bail by the court is despite objections by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding Emefiele’s potential flight risk or interference with the investigation if released. The EFCC are the prosecutor in the suit.
On 18 November, Mr Emefiele was arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on procurement fraud.
Emefiele was accused of using his position to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Yaro, a staff of CBN, by awarding a contract for the procurement of 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.
They include 37 Toyota Hilux vehicles at the cost of N854.7 million, one Toyota Avalon at the cost of N99.9 million, one Toyota Landcruiser V8 at the cost of N73.8 million, two Toyota Hilux Shell Specification vehicles at the cost of N44,200,000.
He was also alleged to have awarded Yaro a contract for the procurement of two Toyota Landcruiser VXR V8s worth N138 million.
Emefiele pleaded “not guilty” to the amended charge and was later granted bail in the sum of N300 million.
Eighteen-Eleven Media