Godwin Emefiele, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was released from the Kuje Correctional Center after fulfilling his bond requirements.
We have learned from our correspondent that Emefiele was set free on Friday, December 22, 2023.
The development was verified to our correspondent on Saturday by Adamu Duza, the spokesperson for the Kuje Correctional Centre, Federal Capital Territory.
“I can attest that Emefiele has fulfilled his bail requirements, so there’s no need for him to stay at our facility,”
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“He was released after 2 p.m. yesterday (Friday) because he fulfilled his bail requirements,” he said.
Emefiele, who is being tried for purported procurement fraud, was granted N300 million in bail by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
The bail was granted by Judge Hamza Muazu along with two sureties in equal amounts.
According to the judge, the sureties had to possess titles and certificates of occupancy for homes located in Abuja’s Maitama District.
In addition, he mandated that Emefiele stay inside the Abuja Municipal Area Council and that he turn in all of his travel documents to the court registrar.
However, the judge stipulated that Emefiele must stay in Kuje Correctional Center until he complies with the terms of his bail.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission objected to Emefiele’s bail application, but Justice Muazu rejected their argument that the ex-CBN governor was a flight risk who might breach bail, endanger the nation’s security, or jeopardize an investigation if released on bond.
Judge Muazu postponed the start of the trial until November 28 after granting the bail motion.
Emefiele was put on trial on six counts related to N1.2 billion worth of procurement fraud.
Jim Obazee, the Special Investigator looking into the CBN, revealed that Emefiele and others had embezzled billions of naira and committed other serious financial offenses following more than four months of research.
According to Obazee’s report, which was delivered to President Bola Tinubu on December 9, 2023, Emefiele, who held office from June 2014 to June 2023, committed fraud in the redesign of the naira and “in fraudulent cash withdrawal of $6.23 million.” Additionally, he is accused of keeping 543.4 million pounds in the United Kingdom.