Abuja High Court sitting has told the Economic and Financial and Crimes Commission, EFCC, that there must be an end to detention.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, who again granted embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, bail, ordered that he (Emefiele) should be released to his lawyers forthwith.
Recall that many courts have granted bail to Emefiele, right from the time he was in Department of Security Service, DSS, detention, to when he was rearrested by the EFCC, but on each occasion, he was not released.
On Wednesday, EFCC finally produced Emefiele in court, after an order to that effect and at the hearing of Emefiele bail applicant.
Soon after the matter started, the Federal Government, said it would on November 15, arraign Emefiele, on a fresh charge.
FG opposed Emefiele’s bail application, arguing that if released from detention, he may not make himself available for his scheduled arraignment.
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But Justice Adeniyi, in a ruling, said: “There must be an end to detention without trial.”
The judge noted that it was the refusal of EFCC, to comply with the order of November 2, that led to the ruling.
According to the court, “A very crucial fact that this court cannot overlook is the applicant’s claim that he has been incarcerated for a period of upward of 151 days without trial.”
The court, therefore, ordered that Emefiele should be released to a team of three Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, that represented him in the matter and they are produce him in court on November 15, for his planned arraignment or at any other date that he is required to appear in court.
The case was further adjourned till November 17.
