The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja on Thursday dismissed a request filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) to further extend the detention order for the suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele for another 14 days.
The application was filed by the legal team of the DSS on Wednesday and was presented before Justice Hamza Muazu today (Thursday), The Guardian reports.
The DSS said the application is based on new evidence it had discovered.
However, Justice Muazu dismissed the application, citing it as an abuse of the court process and identifying the lack of jurisdiction.
Upon questioning by the judge about the court’s jurisdiction, given the exclusive rights of the Magistrate Court to grant detention orders under Sections 293 and 296 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, the DSS’s counsel, Victor Ejelonu, decided to withdraw the matter.
The application came as a result of Emefiele’s re-arrest by the DSS from the Federal High Court premises in Lagos, following his remand in a Correctional Centre while awaiting the fulfilment of his bail conditions granted by Justice Nicholas Oweibo.
Emefiele was suspended as CBN Governor on June 9, 2023 , which came just one day after, the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed that he was in their custody.
After several legal battles by Emefiele’s counsel who challenged his prolonged detention by the DSS announced that he has been charged to court, Emefiele was brought to court by DSS operatives on Tuesday.
READ ALSO: https://thecrux.org.ng/dss-ignores-bail-ruling-whisks-emefiele-away-from-court-premises/
The CRUX had reported how moment after encounter with personnel of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) on Tuesday re-arrested Emefiele at the premises of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Emefiele’s re-arrest took place shortly after its operatives physically fought off men of the NCS who attempted to take the suspended CBN governor away in compliance with the order of Justice Nicholas Oweibo.
Justice Oweibo had granted Emefiele bail in the sum of N20million with one surety in like sum after his arraignment by the Federal Government on a two-count charge of possession of a firearm without a license.
had reported that the presiding judge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, in a ruling on Tuesday, granted the embattled suspended CBN governor bail in the sum of N20 million, saying the charges against him are bailable.
Emefiele had pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge bordering on alleged illegal possession of firearms preferred against him by the DSS.
