A Special Offences Court in Ikeja has granted former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, a significant legal victory in his ongoing trial. Justice Rahman Oshodi approved a request by Emefiele’s legal team to bring in forensic experts to examine key evidence—an “iPhone 2” and the WhatsApp conversations extracted from it. This ruling marks a major development in the high-stakes case.
Emefiele is currently standing trial on a 19-count charge alongside co-defendant Henry Omoile. The charges, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), include allegations of abuse of office, corruption, accepting gifts through agents, and fraudulent property transactions involving billions of Naira and Dollars.
The legal drama unfolded in court as Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, passionately argued for the right to an independent forensic review. He urged the court to allow a third-party expert to inspect the mobile device and verify the authenticity of the digital evidence presented by the prosecution. This move was a clear challenge to the credibility of the evidence.
The EFCC’s lawyer, C. C. Okezie, vehemently opposed the request, citing concerns over the integrity of the exhibits. She argued that once exhibits are admitted, they should remain in the court’s custody in their original state until the case is over. Okezie also raised a practical concern, noting that the defense had not disclosed the name of the forensic laboratory or the qualifications of the personnel who would be handling the crucial evidence. She proposed that the EFCC’s Director of Forensic Department should be the one to select the lab and supervise the entire process to ensure a strict chain of custody.
In his ruling, Justice Oshodi affirmed that the defense has an undeniable right to conduct an independent forensic review, but he also put strict safeguards in place to protect the evidence. He ordered that the inspection must be conducted in the presence of representatives from all parties, with each party limited to one lawyer and one forensic expert. A court representative will also be present to supervise the entire process.
The court set specific dates—September 24 and 26, 2025—for the inspection to take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Justice Oshodi was clear that the chain of custody for the iPhone, designated as “Exhibit E,” must be preserved and that the device must remain within the court’s custody at all times. The case has been adjourned to October 7, 8, and 9 for the continuation of the trial.
