To withdraw Lagos arms case
The Federal Government yesterday applied to withdraw the illegal possession of firearms case against the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, at a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Also speedily, the government has filed fresh charges of 20 counts against Emefiele at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
In one of the counts, it was gathered, the Federal Government is accusing Emefiele of conferring unlawful advantages.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Mohammed Bakodo Abubakar told Justice Nicholas Oweibo that the application followed the result of further investigations. He, however, made the application orally.
But Emefieles counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), opposed the application arguing that because the government was in disobedience of the courts order granting Emefiele bail, its application could and should not be taken.
Recall that the judge had on July 25 admitted Emefiele to a N20 million bail in a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and ordered his remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Lagos, pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.
However, the DSS operatives rearrested Emefiele amid a fracas with prison warders in the courts premises resulting in a physical assault of a senior prison official, who had resisted the taking away of Emefiele into the DSS custody.
Confirming the filing of the fresh charges in an interview yesterday in Abuja after the days proceedings, the DPP, Abubakar said: Fresh charges of 20 counts have been filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
