On Monday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission rejected Godwin Emefiele’s request to have his passport released so that he may go abroad for medical treatment. Emefiele was the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The EFCC objected to an affidavit that defence attorney Labi-Lawal had submitted asking for Emefiele’s passport to be released so he could go to the UK for medical treatment.
The defense’s affidavit from June 25, 2024, and the prosecution’s counter-affidavit from the same day were a continuation of the previous ones on the subject.
On Monday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission rejected Godwin Emefiele’s request to have his passport released so that he may go abroad for medical treatment. Emefiele was the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The EFCC objected to an affidavit that defence attorney Labi-Lawal had submitted asking for Emefiele’s passport to be released so he could go to the UK for medical treatment.
The defense’s affidavit from June 25, 2024, and the prosecution’s counter-affidavit from the same day were a continuation of the previous ones on the subject.
A statement on Monday by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said the prosecution counsel, Muhammad Omeiza, furtherance to the counter-affidavit, told the court that there was no medical report before the court showing that Emefiele was plagued by an ailment.
If there was, he said, there was no proof that it could not be handled locally in Nigeria.
“Omeiza additionally mentioned that Emefiele turned in his passport to the court in order to fulfil his bail requirements, claiming that granting him access to it would mean the court changing his bail terms,” the statement continued.
Oyewale added that the attorney for the EFCC also contended that Emefiele posed a flight risk.
Co-conspirators of the defendant are located all over the world. The defendant’s assistants, Tony and One Anita, are presently in the UK. Because he is awaiting trial in three separate courts, the defendant may be enticed to forego bail, according to a remark from Omeiza that Oyewale used.
Oyewale responded by saying that the defence attorney discounted the prosecution’s claims as conjectural and pointed out that if the defendant went on the medical trip abroad and refused to return, the prosecution may place an international red alert on him, making it possible for him to be arrested.
He said that after hearing from both attorneys, the trial judge, Justice Hamza Mu’azu, postponed making a decision on the motion until July 16, 2024.
