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Court rejects DSS’ request to detain Emefiele for two more weeks
Court rejects DSS’ request to detain Emefiele for two more weeks
A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, on Thursday, denied a new request by the Department of State Services (DSS) for an extension of the 14-day detention of Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s suspended governor.
In a decision pronounced by Justice Hamza Muazu, the court ruled that the application amounted to an abuse of the legal system and that the court lacked the authority to consider it.
Specifically, the security agency, in the application marked: FCT/HC/M/12105/2023, told the court that it uncovered fresh evidence that would require it to further retain the suspended governor of the apex bank in its custody.
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It, therefore, prayed the court to allow it to hold Emefiele in custody for another 14 days, to give room for the conclusion of its ongoing investigation.
However, when the case was called up for hearing, Justice Muazu asked the counsel that represented the agency, Mr Victor Ejelonu, to address him on whether the court has the requisite jurisdiction to grant the application, in view of provisions of Sections 293 and 296 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Justice Muazu pointed out that the Magistrate Court has the sole authority to grant such applications under the aforementioned regulations.
The DSS’s attorney, Mr Ejelonu, filed and withdrew it in response to the judge’s observation that the high court had the authority to issue the order.
