July 25, (THEWILL) – The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has pleaded ‘not guilty’ before a Federal High Court, Lagos, to a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The DSS had detained Emefiele since his arrest on Saturday, June 10, after he was suspended by President Bola Tinubu on Friday, June 9.
Emefiele was arraigned on Tuesday, before a vacation judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, at the Federal High Court shortly after he was brought to the court by officials of the DSS at 09:21am.
According to the charges, the Federal Government is accusing Emefiele of illegal possession of a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence.
The Government said the offence is contrary to Section 4 of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act.
In the second count, Emefiele is being accused of having in his possession 123 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence, which is contrary to section 8 of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(il) of the same Act.
Count one of the charges reads: “That you, Godwin Emefiele, Male, of No. 8 Colorado Street, Maitama, Abuja, on or about the 15th of June 2023, at No. 3b, Iru Close, Ikoyi, Eti Osa Local Government, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, had in your possession one (1) Single Barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 4 of the Firearms Act, Cap. F28 Laws of the Federation 2004, and punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act.”
Count two: “That you, Godwin Emefiele, Male, of No. 8, Colorado Street, Maitama, Abuja, on or about June 15, 2023, at No. 3b, Iru Close, Ikoyi, Eti Osa Local Government, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, had in your possession One Hundred and Twenty-Three (123) rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(il) of the same Act.”
The suspended apex bank chief pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu (SAN), led other lawyers in Emefiele’s defence.
After the plea, Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told the court that his client has been in detention for weeks. He also told Justice Oweibo that the application for bail has been filed and served on the prosecution.
Daudu urged the court to end the oppression of his client by the DSS, which arrested him and hear the bail application. “There should be an end to oppression,” he said.
But the Government’s lawyer, a Deputy Director of Prosecution (DDPP), told Justice Nicholas Oweibo that she had “not been given the bail application. As I stand here, I have not set eyes on it.”
The Court, however, rejected the Federal Government’s claim that it had not received a copy of the bail application.
