A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele has been released from the Kuje Correctional Centre after meeting up with his bail condition.
According to The PUNCH, the spokesperson for the Kuje Correctional Centre, FCT, Adamu Duza, confirmed the development on Saturday.
“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 2pm yesterday (Friday),” he said.
It would be recalled that the judge had initially ordered him to remain in Kuje Correctional Centre until he fulfilled the bail conditions.
Despite objections from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Justice Muazu, who presided over the case, disagreed that Emefiele posed a flight risk or could jeopardise the investigation. After granting bail, the judge scheduled the trial on November 28.
Emefiele faced six counts related to procurement fraud amounting to N1.2bn. The Special Investigator, Jim Obazee, who probed the Central Bank, reported that Emefiele and others embezzled billions and committed financial offenses.
The report, submitted to President Bola Tinubu on December 9, 2023, alleged fraudulent cash withdrawals of $6.23 million, fraud in the redesign of the naira, and the retention of 543.4 million pounds in the United Kingdom during Emefiele’s tenure from June 2014 to June 2023.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja, had granted N300m bail to Emefiele, who is being prosecuted for alleged procurement fraud.
Justice Hamza Muazu granted the bail with two sureties in like sum.
The judge said the sureties must have certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama District of Abuja.
He also ordered Emefiele to deposit all his travel documents with the registrar of the court, adding that he must remain within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The judge, however, ordered that Emefiele should remain in Kuje Correctional Centre till he meets the bail conditions.
