Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, has granted the application of the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to engage forensic experts to examine WhatsApp conversations and a mobile device marked “iPhone 12” that were tendered as evidence in his ongoing trial.
Emefiele, alongside his co-defendant, Henry Omoile is facing a 19-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on allegations of money laundering and fraud totalling 4.5bn dollars and ₦2.8 billion.
Ruling on the matter on Tuesday, Justice Oshodi held that the defence had the right to conduct an independent forensic review, provided safeguards were in place to protect the integrity of the evidence.
Justice Oshodi therefore ordered that the inspection be conducted in the presence of representatives of all parties, with each party allowed no more than one lawyer and one forensic expert.
He also directed that the process be supervised by a court representative and conducted between 10:00a.m. and 2.00p.m. on September 24 and 26, 2025.
The judge further ruled that the chain of custody of Exhibit E (iPhone 12) must be preserved and that the exhibit must remain in the court’s custody at all times.
Request for forensic experts examination
The first prosecution counsel to Emefiele, led by Olalekan Ojo, SAN, at the last proceedings asked the court to allow an independent forensic expert to inspect the handset and verify the authenticity of the extracted WhatsApp messages presented as exhibits.
Ojo urged the court to permit a forensic analysis of the mobile phone used in extracting the WhatsApp messages already tendered as evidence, stating, “The defence is seeking the leave of the court to call a forensic expert to examine both the mobile device and printed conversations allegedly linked to the defendants.”
However, EFCC counsel C. C. Okezie opposed the request, arguing that exhibits admitted during trial are in the custody of the court and must remain in their original form until the case is concluded.
At the resumption of proceedings today, Okezie announced appearance for EFCC while Kunle Gbolahan held the brief of Ojo for the first defendant while Kazeem Gbadamosi, SAN appeared for the co-defendant.
The judge adjourned till October 7, 2025 for continuation of trial.
