The Lagos High Court in Ikeja has allowed former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to bring in independent forensic experts to examine key digital evidence the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is using in his ongoing $4.5 billion fraud trial.
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Justice Rahman Oshodi, ruling on Monday, said Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, have the right to verify the authenticity of the prosecution’s evidence, which includes WhatsApp chats and an iPhone marked as Exhibit E.
374 VIOLATORS TO PAY N5m PENALTY, GET FRESH C-OF-O UPON PAYMENT OF NECESSARY FEES SEE LIST HERE
The judge stressed that the chain of custody must not be broken and ordered that the inspection take place under strict supervision. Each party is to be represented by one lawyer and one forensic expert, with a court official overseeing the process. The forensic review will be carried out on September 24 and 26.
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374 VIOLATORS TO PAY N5m PENALTY, GET FRESH C-OF-O UPON PAYMENT OF NECESSARY FEES SEE LIST HERE
Emefiele, who was CBN governor between 2014 and 2023, faces 19 charges including abuse of office, corruption, gratification, fraudulent property transactions and alleged illegal handling of $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion.
His lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), had argued that an independent review was necessary to confirm the genuineness of the EFCC’s digital evidence. The anti-graft agency’s counsel, Chinenye Okezie, opposed the move, insisting the defence had not provided details of the forensic lab or experts.
The case had earlier featured testimony from EFCC witness Alvan Gurumnaan, who told the court in May that Emefiele allegedly collected $17.1 million in cash through a proxy over three years.
The trial will continue on October 7 and 8, while the alleged victim is scheduled to testify on October 9.
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