Court Strikes Out Two-Count Charge Against Emefiele

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday struck out the illegal possession of firearms charge against the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele following an application by the Ministry of Justice to withdraw it.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo agreed with the Solicitor-General of the Federation (SGF), Mohammed Bakodo Abubakar, who moved the application to withdraw the two-count charge relying on Section 108 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

The defence, through its lead counsel, Mr. J.B Daodu (SAN), had argued that the prosecution could not withdraw the charge unless the government purges itself of its disobedience to the court’s July 25 order granting Emefiele bail.

Justice Oweibo, in a short ruling, condemned the conduct of the prosecution .

He said: “The conduct of the prosecution has shown that it doesn’t respect the rule of law.

“Of what benefit will it be to keep the file in the court’s docket when the prosecution has shown disrespectful to the court?

“To stop the embarrassment of the court and to keep its integrity intact, means to strike out this charge which has simply been abandoned for a lack of diligent prosecution.

“Accordingly this charge is hereby struck out for lack of diligent prosecution.”