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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Lagos State Special Offences Court has granted the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, a bail of N50 million after being charged with a new 26-count bordering on alleged abuse of office and irregular allocation of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion respectively.
Emefiele was admitted to bail with two sureties in like sum by Justice Rahmon Oshodi on Friday.
Recall that the court had on Monday remanded Emefiele in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
Oshodi gave the remand order shortly after the anti-graft agency arraigned Emefiele on 26 counts bordering on “abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained, and conferring corrupt advantage.”
In the charges, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele abused his office while he was CBN governor through alleged allocations of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
However, in his ruling on Friday, Oshodi held that the sureties must be gainfully employed and have paid the three years’ tax to the Lagos State Government.
He also ordered that the sureties must show proper identification and be registered in the Lagos State Bail Management System (LSBMS).
The judge stressed that he was satisfied with the bail condition of N1 million, earlier given to Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Isioma-Omoile, who is standing another trial before Justice Olufunke Sule-Hamzat in the Yaba Division of the Lagos High Court.
Oshodi also maintained that the bail documents must be transferred to the special offences court and registered in the LSBMS.
