Michael Olugbode in Abuja
A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, will spend Christmas holiday with his family as he has been released from custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre after he met his bail conditions.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Abubakar Umar, the gate of the Kuje Prison was opened to the ex-CBN boss on Friday after he met the conditions of his release.
Umar told our correspondent on Saturday that: “He (Emefiele) has fulfilled his bail conditions and has since been released.”
The spokesperson for the Kuje Correctional Centre, FCT, Adamu Duza, had earlier confirmed to journalists that Emefiele was released at 2pm on Friday.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja, had granted N300m bail to Emefiele, who is being prosecuted for alleged procurement fraud.
Justice Hamza Muazu of the court had granted bail with two sureties in like sum to the former Central Bank boss.
One of the conditions was that the sureties must have certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama District of Abuja.
The judge also ordered Emefiele to deposit all his travel documents with the registrar of the court, adding that he must remain within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
He however ordered his detention at the Kuje Correctional Centre till he meets the bail conditions.
The judge also rejected the objection by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to Emefiele’s bail application, disagreeing with the anti-graft agency that the ex-CBN governor was a flight risk and could jump bail, which could subsequently jeopardise investigation or threaten the security of the country.
Emefiele is standing trial on six counts bordering on procurement fraud to the tune of N1.2 billion.
