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The suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, is scheduled to be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
The embattled banker is facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition brought against him by the Department of State Service (DSS).
On Friday, July 21, 2023, Justice Nicholas Oweibo, the designated vacation judge for the entire South-West, fixed the arraignment date, and accordingly, the information has been disseminated to lawyers of all the parties involved, per Channel Television.
One of the lawyers to the suspended CBN Governor, Victor Opara (SAN), who confirmed the development, said hearing notices to that effect had been issued and sent out by the court to the counsel involved in the matter.
Opara also disclosed that a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu (SAN), is expected to lead Emefiele’s defence team.
It'd be recalled that the DSS had, on July 13, 2023, filed a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition against the embattled apex bank boss.
In a suit filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos, the secret police accused Emefiele of possessing a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence.
According to the government, the offence contravened Section 4 of the Firearms Act, Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004, and is punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act.
In the second count, Emefiele was accused of having in his possession 123 rounds of live ammunition (Cartridges) without a licence, which contravened Section 8 of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004 and is punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(il) of the same Act.