A NIGERIAN court has remanded former central bank governor Godwin Emefiele in custody over charges of procurement fraud. Emefiele, who pleaded not guilty to six new graft charges, is awaiting a bail hearing slated for Wednesday. The charges, reduced from a previous 20-count indictment, were trimmed for a separate and expedited trial.
‘Pending the ruling on his bail application, the defendant shall be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre,’ stated Justice Hamza Muazu, scheduling the bail ruling for November 22. The main trial proceedings are set to commence on November 28.
Emefiele, previously detained for five months, secured bail last week after legal intervention. He had been suspended by President Bola Tinubu on June 9 and subsequently arrested. Emefiele resigned in August while in detention, paving the way for the appointment of new central bank governor Olayemi Cardoso in September.
Emefiele has yet to publicly comment on the case that led to his remand.