Ex-CBN governor Emefiele defeats EFCC in court, gets approval to hire forensic experts.
The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has granted Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), permission to engage forensic experts to examine WhatsApp conversations and a mobile device tendered as evidence in his fraud trial.
Ruling on Monday, Rahman Oshodi, the presiding judge, gave the order after Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), applied for leave to allow an independent forensic expert to inspect the handset, marked “iPhone 2,” and verify the authenticity of the extracted WhatsApp messages already admitted as exhibits.
“The defence seeks the court’s leave to call a forensic expert to examine both the mobile device and printed conversations allegedly linked to the defendants,” Ojo told the court.
Emefiele is standing trial alongside his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, on 19 counts bordering on abuse of office, receiving gratification, corruption, and fraudulent property transactions involving $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
The charges were filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
However, Chineye Okezie, counsel to the EFCC, opposed the application, arguing that exhibits admitted during trial should remain in the court’s custody until proceedings are concluded.
She faulted the defence for failing to disclose the name of the forensic laboratory or the qualifications of the personnel expected to handle the device.
Okezie urged the court to mandate that the EFCC’s director of the forensic department select the laboratory, ensure the exercise is monitored by a prosecution-nominated representative, and preserve the chain of custody.
The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has granted Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), permission to engage forensic experts to examine WhatsApp conversations and a mobile device tendered as evidence in his fraud trial.
Ruling on Monday, Rahman Oshodi, the presiding judge, gave the order after Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), applied for leave to allow an independent forensic expert to inspect the handset, marked “iPhone 2,” and verify the authenticity of the extracted WhatsApp messages already admitted as exhibits.
“The defence seeks the court’s leave to call a forensic expert to examine both the mobile device and printed conversations allegedly linked to the defendants,” Ojo told the court.
Emefiele is standing trial alongside his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, on 19 counts bordering on abuse of office, receiving gratification, corruption, and fraudulent property transactions involving $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
The charges were filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
However, Chineye Okezie, counsel to the EFCC, opposed the application, arguing that exhibits admitted during trial should remain in the court’s custody until proceedings are concluded.
She faulted the defence for failing to disclose the name of the forensic laboratory or the qualifications of the personnel expected to handle the device.
Okezie urged the court to mandate that the EFCC’s director of the forensic department select the laboratory, ensure the exercise is monitored by a prosecution-nominated representative, and preserve the chain of custody.
Ex-CBN governor Emefiele defeats EFCC in court, gets approval to hire forensic experts.
The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has granted Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), permission to engage forensic experts to examine WhatsApp conversations and a mobile device tendered as evidence in his fraud trial.
Ruling on Monday, Rahman Oshodi, the presiding judge, gave the order after Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), applied for leave to allow an independent forensic expert to inspect the handset, marked “iPhone 2,” and verify the authenticity of the extracted WhatsApp messages already admitted as exhibits.
“The defence seeks the court’s leave to call a forensic expert to examine both the mobile device and printed conversations allegedly linked to the defendants,” Ojo told the court.
Emefiele is standing trial alongside his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, on 19 counts bordering on abuse of office, receiving gratification, corruption, and fraudulent property transactions involving $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
The charges were filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
However, Chineye Okezie, counsel to the EFCC, opposed the application, arguing that exhibits admitted during trial should remain in the court’s custody until proceedings are concluded.
She faulted the defence for failing to disclose the name of the forensic laboratory or the qualifications of the personnel expected to handle the device.
Okezie urged the court to mandate that the EFCC’s director of the forensic department select the laboratory, ensure the exercise is monitored by a prosecution-nominated representative, and preserve the chain of custody.
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