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).
On Thursday, Justice Rahman Oshodi was quoted to have said that he dismissed the objections raised by Emefiele’s lawyers against the admissibility of the statements.
The court found that the statements were not confessional statements and therefore a trial-within-trial was not necessary.
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 construed as an admission of the facts in issue.
Thus, the court admitted as exhibits statements purportedly made by Emefiele on October 27, October 30, November 11, November 12 and November 13, 2023.
The case was adjourned to the 6th, 7th and 8th of October and 11th, 12th and 13th of November, 2026 for continuation of trial.
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Emefiele is being prosecuted along with 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 facing three charges of unlawful receipt of gifts in connection with transactions involving the CBN.
Both defendants have entered pleas of not guilty.
Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), had prayed the court to disregard the statements on the ground that they were obtained under oppression and torture while his client was in DSS custody.
But the prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), argued that the statements were not confessional and there was no legal basis for a trial-within-trial.