The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has rejected Godwin Emefiele, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, request to have his passport released so that he may go abroad for medical treatment.
The EFCC opposed to the defence attorney, Abdulakeem Labi-Lawal, filing an affidavit asking for Emefiele’s passport to be released so he could go to the UK for medical treatment.
The defense’s affidavit from June 25, 2024, and the prosecution’s counter-affidavit from the same day were a continuation of the previous ones on the subject.
According to a statement released on Monday by Dele Oyewale, the head of the commission’s media and publicity, Muhammad Omeiza, the prosecution’s attorney, informed the court that, in response to the counter-affidavit, no medical report demonstrating Emefiele’s illness was on file.
If there was, he said, there was no proof that it could not be handled locally in Nigeria.
Omeiza further mentioned that Emefiele turned in his passport to the court in order to comply with his bail requirements, claiming that granting him access to it would mean the court changing his release terms.
Oyewale added that the attorney for the EFCC also contended that Emefiele posed a flight risk.
“he defendant has co-conspirators all over the world. One Anita and Tony are all aides of the defendant who are currently in the UK. The defendant might be tempted to jump bail because he is standing trial in three different courts,” Oyewale quoted Omeiza as saying.
Oyewale replied that the prosecution’s arguments had been brushed off by the defense attorney as theoretical, pointing out that if the defendant had taken the medical trip abroad and refused to return, the prosecution could have placed an international red alert on him, allowing for his arrest.
He claimed that after hearing from both attorneys, the trial judge, Justice Hamza Mu’azu, postponed making a decision on the motion until July 16, 2024. The former governor of the CBN is on trial before three distinct judges in three different cases.
Emefiele is accused of defrauding the Special Offenses Court in Ikeja, Lagos, specifically of N2.8 billion and $4.5 billion. The allegation is brought before Justice Rahman Oshodi. Emefiele also appeared before FCT High Court Judge Maryann Anenih in Abuja on the purported approval of the printing of N684.5 million notes at a cost of N18.96 billion.
Emefiele also appeared before FCT High Court Judge Maryann Anenih in Abuja on the purported approval of the printing of N684.5 million notes at a cost of N18.96 billion.
