The Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos, Friday granted bail to former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, in the sum of ₦50m with two sureties with landed property in Lagos.
Justice Rahman Oshodi, also granted accelerated trial in the case.
Emefiele co-defendant, Henry Isioma Omoile, in the fresh 26-count charge of $4.5 billion and N2.8 preferred against them also got bail in the sum of ₦1 million with sureties in like sum.
The fresh charges against them include abuse of office and irregular allocation of cumulative $4.5 billion and £2.8 billion while Emefiele was in office as CBN governor.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented 26 charges of fraud and corruption against the defendants to which they pleaded not guilty.
The EFCC lawyer had applied for accelated trial in the case adding that the case be heard in camera to protect identity of witnesses 1 to 7, citing Section 373 of criminal act of Lagos State.
“One of the witnesses had to stay away from home yesterday. Their lives are in danger. We want to ensure the witnesses lives are safe. There are things I cannot say in the open court like this. We want to be heard in camera. That is why I am asking for accelerated hearing to be able to take and dispose of them without fear.
Leading lawyer to the defendants, Mr Abduakeem Labi-Lawal, denied knowledge of threat allegation, saying similar trial had been going on in Abuja, and nobody’s life was threatened.