The ongoing trial of Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and his co-defendant Henry Omoile resumed before Justice Rahman Oshodi at the Ikeja Special Offences Court.
Emefiele is facing nineteen charges related to accepting gratifications and making corrupt demands, while Omoile faces three counts of accepting gifts unlawfully in his capacity as an agent. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
During the latest proceedings, the defence team challenged the admissibility of several extra-judicial statements made by Omoile, contending that they were obtained through coercion. In response, the court directed that a trial-within-a-trial be conducted to establish whether the statements were made voluntarily.
An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Alvan Gurumnaan, gave evidence in support of the prosecution. He stated that EFCC personnel are professionally trained and do not resort to threats or physical force during investigations.
According to him, Omoile provided the statements willingly in a large, open conference room at the commission’s Lagos office, after being properly cautioned and in the presence of his counsel, E.N. Offiong, on 26 and 27 February 2024. Gurumnaan confirmed that the sessions were not video-recorded, citing practical constraints that sometimes prevent such documentation.
After hearing the testimony, Justice Oshodi admitted the four statements three dated 26 February 2024 and one from the following day as exhibits in evidence. The trial-within-a-trial is scheduled to continue on
