Justice Ekwo had, on October 20, 2022, ordered the CBN governor to appear in court on January 18 over his alleged refusal to obey the court’s order to pay the judgment debt in favour of a legal practitioner, Joe Agi, SAN.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, warned that it would issue an arrest warrant against the detained, suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over his failure to appear in court to explain circumstances surrounding the $53million judgment debt arising from the Paris Club refund.
SaharaReporters had reported on June 9, that Emefiele who suspended as the CBN Governor by President Bola Tinubu was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).
It had been reported that Emefiele had since remained in detention facility of the Nigeria's secret police for over one month despite several court orders that directed his release.
While he had remained incarcerated at the DSS, Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Wednesday, ordered Emefiele to appear on the next adjourned date, warning that he was unmindful of exercising the powers of the court but restraint in the proceeding to allow him to explain himself, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
The agency reported that Emefiele’s counsel, Audu Anuga, SAN, had prayed the court to give his client another opportunity because they had been unable to reach him since the last order, directing him to appear in court.
Anuga told the court that Emefiele, suspended as CBN governor, had been detained, and all efforts to communicate the court’s directive to him were unsuccessful.
Justice Ekwo had, on October 20, 2022, ordered the CBN governor to appear in court on January 18 over his alleged refusal to obey the court’s order to pay the judgment debt in favour of a legal practitioner, Joe Agi, SAN.
Agi had dragged Linas International Ltd, Minister of Finance, CBN and Mr Emefiele to court as first to fourth judgment debtors, respectively, following an application for garnishee made by him as judgment creditor in the case.
However, on January 18, proceedings could not go on as scheduled when the matter was called, prompting the court to adjourn the case till March 20 before it was fixed for June 6 again.
On June 6, the judge ordered Emefiele to appear before it on July 19, 2023.
Upon resumed hearing on Wednesday, Ayodele Arotiowa, who appeared for Agi, was about to make a submission when Justice Ekwo asked Emefiele’s lawyer if he had complied with the order.
“We rely only on public communication that the fourth respondent is incarcerated and have been unable to communicate with him,” Anuga responded.
Ekwo asked how long the court would wait for Emefiele since 2017, when the suit was filed.
“I have given you enough opportunity, but you are taking it for granted,” the judge said while directing Anuga to give a good reason why the court should not issue a warrant of arrest against Emefiele.
The judge, consequently, adjourned the matter until October 31 for the CBN and Emefiele to show cause why an arrest warrant should not be issued against the former CBN governor.
The dispute stemmed from an alleged $70 million judgment against Linas International Ltd for the lawyer’s (Joe Agi) assistance with the Paris Club refund.
Emefiele was said to have only released $17 million, leaving an unpaid balance of $53million.