Court strikes out FG’s firearms charge against Emefiele

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The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday struck out the illegal possession of firearms charge filed by the Federal Government against the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo made the order following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar, to withdraw the two-count charge. Abubakar relied on Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

The defence through its lead counsel Mr. J.B. Daodu had argued that the prosecution could not withdraw the charge unless the government first purges itself of its disobedience to the court’s July 25 order granting Emefiele N20million bail.

But Justice Oweibo, while condemning the government’s conduct, granted its application.

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 disrespect to the court?

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

Reports have it that on Tuesday, the government applied to withdraw the charge, saying it had filed a 20-count charge against the embattled banker in Abuja.

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