Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja has rejected a request from Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, to go abroad for medical treatment.
On Tuesday, Judge Muazu explained that Emefiele did not provide enough proof to show that the trip for medical treatment was necessary and unavoidable. The judge highlighted that Emefiele claimed he had been invited to the United Kingdom for medical care but failed to present a copy of this invitation to the court.
Additionally, Justice Muazu pointed out that Emefiele did not prove that his health issues couldn’t be treated in Nigeria. He also noted that Emefiele is currently facing charges in three different courts.
“Given the circumstances, I cannot grant this request, especially since he has ongoing trials in three courts. Therefore, the request is denied, and the scheduled trial date remains unchanged,” the judge stated.
The prosecution counsel, Muhammad Omeiza, opposed Emefiele’s request, arguing that no medical report was provided to show that his condition couldn’t be treated in Nigeria. Omeiza also expressed concern that Emefiele might flee the country due to his connections with co-conspirators abroad.
