Godwin Emefiele’s EFCC Statements Admitted In Alleged $4.5bn Fraud Case

The Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja has admitted in evidence extra-judicial statements allegedly made by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Rahman Oshodi was quoted to have said on Thursday that he dismissed the objections raised by Emefiele’s lawyers against the admissibility of the statements.

The court held that the statements were not confessional statements and thus a trial-within-trial was not required.

Justice Oshodi held that before an extra-judicial statement can be treated as confessional, it must contain an unequivocal admission of the offences alleged against the maker.

The judge held that none of Emefiele’s statements could be interpreted as an admission of the facts in issue.

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Therefore, the court admitted as exhibits statements allegedly made by Emefiele on October 27, October 30, November 11, November 12 and November 13, 2023.

The case was adjourned to October 6, 7 and 8 and November 11, 12 and 13, 2026 for continuation of trial.

Emefiele is being prosecuted alongside Henry Omoile on 19 counts bordering on abuse of office, receiving gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption and fraudulent property transactions involving about $4.5bn and ₦2.8bn.

Omoile is charged on three counts of receiving unlawful gifts in connection with transactions involving the CBN.

Both defendants have entered pleas of not guilty.

Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), had urged the court to discountenance the statements on the basis that they were extracted under oppression and torture while his client was in DSS custody.

But the prosecution led by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) submitted that the statements were not confessional and there was no legal basis for a trial-within-trial.