The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has flouted court order by failing to release the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and to also produce him before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Maitama today as it was directed to do, News About Nigeria reports.
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi had ordered the anti-graft agency on November 2nd, 2023, to either release Emefiele unconditionally or produce him in court to be granted bail.
Speaking on the matter when the court resumed proceedings on Monday, Emefiele’s lawyer, Mr Mathew Burkaa, told the court that EFCC flouted their order as Emefiele is still in their custody.
In his words, “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.”
The EFCC lawyer, Mr Farouk Abdullahi, however, countered Burkaa’s claim that Emefiele had spent over 100 days in the custody of the agency.
Abdullahi also confirmed that the EFCC got the court order but was not able to bring Emefiele to court because they misunderstood the order from the court.
He added that the anti-graft agency is law-abiding and will never take orders from the court for granted.
“My lord, the 3rd Respondent is a law-abiding establishment that will never take orders of this court for granted,” the EFCC lawyer pleaded.
After hearing from the parties, Justice Adeniyi restated the court’s order to the EFCC to either release Emefiele unconditionally or, in the alternative, produce him in court on the next adjourned date to be admitted to bail.
He, therefore, adjourned the matter till November 8, 2023.
