Emefiele’s lawyer opposes FG’s application for withdrawal of charges

Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN), counsel to the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has opposed the oral application by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Federal Ministry of Justice for withdrawal of the charges against Emefiele.

The case is scheduled to be heard by a Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo gave the date after arguments on the application by parties in the suit.

Oweibo had reserved hearing of two pending applications for Tuesday.

One of the pending applications was filed by the Federal Government. It seeks to appeal the bail granted Emefiele by the court on July 25.

The second application was filed by Emefiele. It seeks to stop his prosecution by the government on charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Daudu said that the application was informed by emerging facts that needed further investigations.

He urged the court to grant the application.

He  argued that the government was in disobedience of the court’s order granting Emefiele’s bail and, therefore, should not have its application entertained by the court.

“We have an application that the government has flouted the court’s order which says the respondent/ defendant should be remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Service.

“The court granted an order of substituted service to be published in three national dailies, and after that, the prosecution brought an application for stay of execution of the bail order,” he submitted.

He added that the application for withdrawal of charges must be in writing.

“In the interest of justice, we need to prevent abuse of legal processes.

“I urge the court to reject the application and order the learned DPP to go on with today’s business,” he said.