Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho has assigned a suit brought against the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.
Court documents revealed that the Suit has been assigned to Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, in Lagos, but no date has been fixed for hearing.
However, there are indications that the matter may be heard during court vacation which commences on Monday July 24, 2023.
Already, Justice Nicholas Oweibo and Justice Akintayo Aluko have been designated to adjudicate on cases at the federal high court, Lagos Division during vacation.
The federal government had in a 2-count charge dated this 13th of July 2023 filed by the Solicitor General of the Federation accused the former CBN governor of unlawful possession of firearms.
The 2-count charge was signed by, M B Abubakar, from the Department of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.
The FG, in the charge, accused Emefiele of possessing a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence.
The government maintained that the offence is contrary to Section 4 of the Firearms Act, Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004, and punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act.
In the second count, the suspended CBN Governor was accused of having in his possession 123 rounds of live ammunition (Cartridges) without a licence, which is contrary to Section 8 of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(il) of the same Act.
Emefiele has been in the custody of the DSS since June 10. The spokesman for the DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya, had said it was for “investigative reasons”.
Already, 60 Constitutional and human rights lawyers have asked a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to commence a committal to prison proceedings against the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi, to Jail for alleged disobedience of the Order on Emefiele’s Release
The consortium of lawyers led by Mr. Maxwell Opara and Ahmed Tijani, specifically are asking the court to commit the DSS DG to prison until he purges himself of the contempt.
