Court matter for former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele and him associate Henry Omoile don reach serious stage. Dem don beg the court to throw away one statement wey dem bring as evidence. The reason na say dem no make the statement by demself free will. Dem talk say dem collect am from Omoile with force and dem no follow the correct procedure.
Justice Rahman Oshodi wey dey preside over the Ikeja Special Offences Court don fix May 4, 2026 to give ruling on whether the statement go fit enter as evidence. This one come after all the lawyers finish submit their final written addresses for the trial-within-trial. The whole matter na part of 19-count charge against Emefiele. The charges concern gratification, corrupt demands, and abuse of office for some big financial transactions. For Omoile side, dem charge am with three counts wey talk say he collect gifts illegally as agent for transactions wey connect to CBN.
The defendants don dey challenge the evidence from the beginning. Dem insist say the key things wey the prosecution dey use no reliable and dem collect am illegally. Justice Oshodi bin order the trial-within-trial to check if Omoile make him statement voluntarily after the defence lawyers raise objection.
Lawyer for Omoile, Adeyinka Kotoye SAN, beg the court to hold say the statement no be voluntary and because of that, e no suppose dey used. Kotoye argue say the way dem collect the statement violate Sections 9(3) and (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law and Sections 17(1) and (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. These laws dey regulate how to collect statement from suspects.
Kotoye talk say when the issue of voluntariness come up, video recording of the interrogation na important thing. He talk say Supreme Court don always recognize electronic recording as the best way to make sure everything transparent and dem follow due process. He also talk say the prosecution no provide independent proof for the statement. He question the role of the lawyer wey dem say witness the process, talk say dem restrict the lawyer from doing him work well.
He submit say the prosecution misapply the law by limiting am to only confessional statements, whereas the law cover all statements wey dem collect during investigation. He beg the court to resolve any doubt for the defendant side and throw the statement away.
Lawyer for Emefiele, Olalekan Ojo SAN, join the matter. He support the position and beg the court to resolve any doubt about voluntariness for the defence side. Ojo rely on Section 29(2) of the Evidence Act. He talk say any statement wey dem get through oppression, inducement, or improper means no suppose dey used. He maintain say once dem challenge voluntariness, the burden dey on the prosecution to prove say the statement na free will. He talk say the prosecution fail to do this, and the circumstances around the statement raise serious doubt about whether e reliable.
Ojo add say established judicial authorities require court to admit only statements wey dem prove say na voluntary. He fault the prosecution for no challenge the allegations wey the defence raise well. These allegations include claims of inducement, trauma, and inadequate legal representation. He describe these omissions as big gaps for the prosecution case.
But the Director of Public Prosecutions for Federal Ministry of Justice, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, oppose the defence. Oyedepo argue say lawyer for Emefiele no get the right to challenge Omoile statement after he no object when dem first bring am. He talk say the later challenge na abuse of court process. He maintain say dem collect the statement with substantial compliance to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and Omoile make am in front of him lawyer, even though dem no record am with video.
The DPP talk say the content of the statement itself show say the defence claims of coercion no true. He note say for the statement, Omoile refuse to implicate Emefiele for any wrongdoing and he deny the offences wey dem accuse am of. Oyedepo talk say these denials show say the statement na independent and dem no force am or influence am.
He dismiss allegations of intimidation, talk say dem collect the statement in front of many people, wey make coercion unlikely. He add say dem caution the defendant well and he sign the cautionary form voluntarily before he make the statement.
After all the lawyers submit their addresses, Justice Oshodi adjourn the matter to May 4, 2026 for ruling on whether the statement go dey used. The court also fix June 26 and June 30, 2026 for the main trial to continue.
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