The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has struck out the illegal possession of firearms charges against the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele by the Federal Government. Justice Nicholas Oweibo gave the order on Thursday, following the application of Mohammed Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Ministry of Justice to withdraw the two-count charge.
Abubakar relied on Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015. Emefiele’s counsel, 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 N20 million bail. In his ruling, Justice Oweibo granted the Federal Government application.
While condemning the Government’s conduct, the judge said: “The conduct of the prosecution has shown that it doesn’t respect the rule of law.m “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.”