Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos, has struck out the charges filed by the Department of State Services against the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, for lack of diligent prosecution.
The Federal Government had on Tuesday approached the court, seeking to withdraw the charges filed against Emefiele, bordering on unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, following emerging facts requiring further investigation, and pending fresh charges of about twenty counts at the FCT High Court, Abuja.
The Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry Of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar, who moved for the application orally, citing Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, says the move for the withdrawal of the charges is due to emerging facts requiring further investigation.
In his ruling on the application, Justice Nicholas Oweibo said the conduct of the Prosecution shows that they have no respect for the court and the rule of law.
Oweibo, who then struck out the application, said the action was intended to maintain the integrity of the court.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
