THE Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, has granted former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, bail in the sum of N300 million and two sureties in like sum.
According to the judge, Hamza Muazu, the titles and certificates of occupancy for the properties held by the sureties must be from within the Maitama District.
Emefiele is required to stay inside the Abuja Municipal Area Council and deposit all of his travel documents with the court registrar.
He is expected to stay at Kuje Correctional Center until he satisfies his bail requirements.
Emefiele did not attend the hearing on his bail application on Wednesday morning. However, his lawyer, Mathew Burkaa, said that since he was already locked at the Kuje Correctional Center, it was normal.
This comes four months after he was granted N20 million bail by the Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos in a different case involving the unlawful possession of weapons.
The ICIR reported on Friday, November 17, that Emefiele was sent to Kuje Correctional Centre over an alleged N1.6 billion procurement fraud.
The former CBN governor was arraigned on a six-count charge at a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, on Friday.
The Federal Government said in the new charge sheet that the he unlawfully purchased 43 vehicles for N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.
The initial 20-count charge, totalling N6.5 billion, has been lowered to six.
He is the only defendant in the new charge.
After the six-count accusation was read to him, the former CBN governor entered a not-guilty plea when he appeared in court on Friday, November 17, to request bail.
He was charged with ordering 37 Toyota Hilux vehicles, totalling N854 million.
He was also charged with giving corrupt benefits in violation of Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act 2000 when he granted N73 million for the supply of a Toyota Landcruiser in 2019.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court Judge Muazu adjourned the case until November 22 to rule on his bail request and November 28 to start the trial.
He ordered Emefiele to be placed under remand in the Kuje Correctional Centre in the interim.
The ICIR reported that a FCT High Court granted the former CBN chief bail on November 8.
The judge, Olukayode Adeniyi, ordered that he be released immediately to his lawyers, who must bring him into court for arraignment the following week or any other day.
A reporter with the ICIR
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