The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, is set to regain his freedom from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Emefiele might be released soon after President Bola Tinubu directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to handle his case, reports said.
According to the cable, sources at the Ministry of Justice said the presidency directed the EFCC to take over Emefiele’s case from the DSS and oversee the prosecution.
Recall that on June 9, President Bola Tinubu suspended Emefiele and asked him to transfer his responsibilities to then Deputy Governor of Operations Directorate, Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi.
The day after, the DSS announced that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons”.
On July 25, he was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on “illegal possession” of firearms at a federal high court in Lagos and was granted bail in the sum of N20 million.
The two-count charge was later struck out on August 17 after the federal government withdrew same.
However, a fresh 20-count charge was instituted against him over an alleged conspiracy to carry out procurement fraud, among others.
The arraignment has been stalled twice and TheCable had reported that Emefiele was proposing a plea bargain agreement.
The agreement required Emefiele to resign as CBN governor and “disgorge” some assets.
On September 22, the CBN officially confirmed Emefiele’s resignation, after Olayemi Cardoso was appointed as substantive governor of the apex bank.
