IKEJA, Lagos – The Lagos State Special Offences Court don side with former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, as dem gree am make him engage forensic experts to spy WhatsApp messages and an iPhone 2 wey dem don use as evidence against him.
Justice Rahman Oshodi make dis ruling on Monday after Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), come request say make dem allow qualified forensic experts check the handset and verify whether di WhatsApp wahala wey don already enter court na real or na fake.
“Di defence wan some professional people to come look am and check di mobile device plus di printed messages wey dem say dey connect to di case,” Ojo talk for court. Emefiele dey face 19 serious charges wey dey include abuse of office, gratification, corruption, and di notorious fraudulent property transactions of $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion. Na wah!
Di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) na dem wey bring di charges come court, but dem EFCC counsel, Chineye Okezie, no gree with di application. She argue say di exhibits wey don enter court supposed remain for court wahala until dem finish di case. (She no wan any mix-up happen, you fit understand.)
Okezie even carry mouth come talk say di defence no mention di name of di forensic laboratory or di qualifications of di experts wey go handle di device. She also suggest say make di EFCC Director of Forensic Department choose di laboratory and make sure say dem dey monitor di exercise. Wetin dem wan do, no be play, e be serious matter!
After all di palava, Justice Oshodi conclude say di defence go fit check wetin dey happen as long as dem follow proper procedure to protect di evidence integrity. He gree say di inspection go happen with representatives from all sides and make dem no bring pass one lawyer and one forensic expert each time.
Di court don also set di date for di forensic examination to happen on September 24 and 26, 2025, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Justice Oshodi make it clear say di iPhone 2 go still remain in court custody till di matter settle. Di trial don adjourned go October 7 and 8, 2025, for di continuation, and October 9 for further hearing. Na dem go call di alleged victims come testify.
Di trial dey come after di EFCC claim say Emefiele collect vexing $17.1 million cash for three years through proxies, with dem even show documents and di digital messages wey supposedly support dia case. No be small matter, as di case don turn di whole country into gist town!
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