Court Rejects EFCC’s Additional Evidence Against Emefiele In Fraud Trial
An Abuja High Court on Thursday rejected an additional proof of evidence filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in his ongoing procurement fraud trial.
The anti-graft agency had submitted the additional proof on 15 October 2024, over a year after the initial charges were filed in August 2023.
It sought to introduce fresh evidence and present two new witnesses, Tommy Odama John and Ifeanyi Omeke, whose statements were made in August 2024.
Delivering his ruling on the motion filed by Emefiele, Justice Hamza Muazu dismissed the EFCC’s request, noting that the agency had previously submitted additional proof on 12 February 2024, which included evidence from former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, and another witness, Bamayi Haruna Mairiga.
The judge emphasised that Emefiele’s trial began on 28 November 2023, and the EFCC’s latest move resembled “a denial of fair trial” as the new evidence had not been presented to him during the investigation.
He described it as “trial by ambush” and an attempt to “fish for evidence” long after the case commenced.
Justice Muazu ruled that allowing the additional proof would be prejudicial to the defendant, stating, “The charge against Emefiele was filed upon the completion of investigation. The contrary is the case here.”
However, he declined to strike out the charges entirely, noting that both parties had already engaged in trial proceedings.
He also refused to remove the testimonies of Mustapha and Mairiga from the court records, rejecting Emefiele’s argument that their evidence violated Section 36 (2) of the 1999 Constitution on fair hearing.
Emefiele’s lead counsel, Mathew Burkaa (SAN), had argued that the EFCC presented Mustapha and Mairiga’s statements in court without first confronting his client during the investigation.
Justice Muazu adjourned the trial to 3 June for continuation.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
