The trial of the embattled former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele has suffered a setback as the trial judge adjourned the matter to December 2 and 3, 2025 for trial-within-trial.
Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja ordered the mini trial in respect of some statements of the second defendant made during investigation which the defence team, objected to it stating that the statement was made under duress.
In a ruling delivered earlier over admissibility of digital evidence presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prosecution witness, Alvan Grumnaan, the court overrule the objections of the defence counsel and admitted the document as exhibit.
Thereafter, lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, continued leading the witness in evidence-in-chief.
Grumnaan continued his evidence by reading the WhatsApp conversation between Mr. Henry Omoile, telling John Adetola in a chat that he should give $400,000 to ‘Oga’.
The witness revealed the chat thus: “Talk to him ‘Oga’ via WhatsApp if possible.”
“During our investigation we asked the clarification from him, he explained that there is conversation between him and Henry Omoile on phone regarding how to meet John Ikechukwu Ayoh to collect $400,000”.
“John Adetola confirmed that he went to Lekki in Lagos were he meet Ayoh personal assistant to CBN governor to delivered the money. We further asked him what’s the messages, he confirm it $400,000 and proceed to CBN office in Lagos where he handed it over to Emefiele in CBN office”.
“We make a call to John Ayoh who is working at that time in CBN to reported to our office in Lagos where he was interviewed, during the interview, he confirmed that Mr. Adetola came to his house and give him the money to give to first defendant. That’s was not only transactions.
“There is another $200,000 he received from the same person, and this time around, he handed it over by himself to Emefiele in his office in Lagos.”
“We invited Mr. Victor Oyedua, the CBN contractor, who reported to our office and confirmed during interview that he actually gave Mr. Ayo sum of $400,000 and $200, 000 dollars respectively to deliver to first defendant.”
“He confirmed he was CBN contractor and two of his work hanging at that time with CBN and he has not paid.”
“He asked why he has not been paid, he was told he needed to settle some management to facilitate his money and that’s was why he gave that money, his statements was also recorded.”
Prosecution tender another some documents from CBN as exhibits before the court.
Prosecution said the documents we want to tender is original letter from a company to EFCC dated 24 February, 2024. The document is evidence of what EFCC recived, as been produced and tender. The public document that EFCC received during investigation, this is the primary evidence.
However, the defence counsel led by Olalekan Ojo, SAN and Kazeem Gbadamosi SAN, objected to their admissibility, citing concerns over authenticity and proper certification, they urged the court to reject all the photocopy documents as exhibits.
Justice Oshodi overruled their objections and admitted the bundle of documents as exhibits H.
Also, John Adetola’s phone, MI10T tendered as exhibit before the court, the phone was still on and it was on flight mode, and admitted as exhibits I.
The conversation between John Adetola and Henry, from exhibit I, this is WhatsApp conversation was analysed.
From the phone, EFCC investigators retrieved further WhatsApp conversations between Adetola and Henry, which were analysed and presented in court.
Justice Rahman Oshodi also directed that parties should come on November 21, 2025 for report of the parties on the agreement they would reach on forensic inspection of the iPhone 12.
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.
