From Victor Osula, Abuja
Counsel to the Economic Financial and and Crimes Commission, EFCC, counsel, Farouk Abdullahi, on Monday, pleaded with Presiding Judge of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, that the anti- graft agency was not properly served with the abiding order to either set the ex- Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele, free or produce him in court today, Monday.
He said, “My lord, the 3rd Respondent is a law-abiding establishment that will never take orders of this court for granted.
“My lord, I do confirm that we received the order. It is, however, not correct that the Applicant has been in custody of the 3rd and 4th Respondent for over 100 days. He has only been in custody of 3rd and 4th for only 7 days
“We got the processes and we intend to react to them to set the record straight. Unfortunately, we are unable to do so because the processes received by 3rd and 4th respondents were incomplete.
“We are not insinuating that it was deliberate, it may be inadvertent on the part of counsel for the Applicant. Certain exhibits they referred to, particularly exhibit E, were not attached.’
Emefiele’s lawyer, Mathew Burkaa, had earlier protested his clients continued detention by the EFCC in disobedience to court order, saying, “My lord, they have flouted both orders as today marks the 149th day of the Applicant being in custody. The Applicant is still in custody of the 3rd and 4th Respondents up till this moment that we speak.
Responding, Justice Adeniyi reinstated the orders of the court to either release Emefiele unconditionally or in the alternative, produce him in court on Wednesday, November 8, to be admitted to bail.
Justice Adeniyi had on Thursday, November 2, while ruling on the ex pate application marked: M/122/2023 in a Motion on Notice numbered FCT/HC/CV/040/2023, challenging the continued detention of Emefiele, ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unconditionally release Emefiele or produce him in court on November 6, for bail.
Emefiele had been detained by the Federal Government since Saturday, June 10 after he was suspended as CBN Governor on June 9 by President Bola Tinubu.
The former apex bank chief, who had been in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) in Abuja since his arrest on June 10, was on Thursday, October 26, transferred to the EFCC.
Although the EFCC has not filed any charges against Emefiele, the Federal Government filed 20 charges bothering on alleged procurement fraud against Emefiele along with a female CBN employee, Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April1616 Investment Limited.
However, the arraignment has been stalled until his recent transfer from the custody of the DSS to the EFCC.
The continued detention prompted Emefiele to approach the court on Tuesday, October 31, to enforce his fundamental human rights.
The former CBN Governor, who is seeking his immediate release from EFCC custody, is also praying the court to award him damages to the tune of N5 million.
