The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has told the Special Offences Court in Lagos, that the former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele’s Co-Defendant, Henry Omoile, voluntarily made his statements in the Four point five billion dollars fraud trial of the duo.
While Emefiele is standing trial on a 19-count charge bordering on gratification and corrupt demands, Omoile faces a 3-count charge relating to unlawful acceptance of gifts. Both defendants pleaded not guilty.
In a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements made by Omoile, an EFCC operative, Alvan Gurumnaan who took the witness box, said no officer of the Commission coerced the defendant into making any statements.
At the last sitting of the court, on October 9, 2025, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) sought to tender Omoile’s extra-judicial statements in evidence.
But defence counsel, Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN) objected, insisting the statements were not voluntarily made. Justice Rahman Oshodi subsequently ordered a trial-within-trial.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olalekan Ojo and Kotoye, Gurumnaan admitted that despite it being part of the EFCC’s standard practice, no video recording of the statement taking was made and the signature of the lawyer was also not included in the statement.
Justice Oshodi has adjourned further hearing in the trial-within-trial to Thursday, January 15, and Friday, January 16, 2026.
