The embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has been released from Kuje prison, after finally fulfilling his bail conditions even as the Ex CBN boss, still faces fresh allegations of financial fraud as Special Investigator, probing Emefiele’s tenure at the Bank, Jim Obazee revealed.
The spokesman of the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCOS, Umar Abubakar, who disclosed Emefiele’s release from prison to newsmen said:
“Godwin Emefiele has been released on Friday. The Service released him after meeting his bail conditions”, Umar said.
The development came a month after Justice Hamza Muazu, on November 22, 2023, granted Emefiele N300 million bail, including a condition that his sureties must have landed properties in the Maitama District of Abuja.
Justice Muazu ordered that Emefiele be remanded in prison until his bail conditions.
Recall that Emefiele was arraigned in Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Nigerian Federal Government over alleged N1.2 billion procurement fraud.
Also, still trailing the ex CBN boss is the allegation of financial fraud as revealed by the Jim Obazee, the special investigator probing the apex bank’s activities during Emefiele’s tenure.
The investigations reveal that Emefiele allegedly removed $6.23 Million cash from CBN vault, and accused of using cronies to acquire banks.
Some of those recommended for trial by the special investigator, in connection to the financial fraud are : directors,deputy directors, assistant directors and branch controllers of the CBN.
Already, two suspects have been arrested in connection with what was described by the investigator as ‘forgery’, ‘concealment’, ’conspiracy’, and ’fraud’.