Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has asked Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja to withdraw from his ongoing trial over alleged $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion fraud.
Emefiele’s legal team, led by Olalekan Ojo (SAN), accused the judge of bias and urged him to recuse himself from the case. The request was made during Monday’s hearing.
“A judge can be either consciously or unconsciously biased… At this stage, I urge the court to recuse itself,” Ojo argued.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to February 26, 2025, to rule on whether he would step down from the case.
Emefiele is facing 19 counts bordering on abuse of office, receiving gratification, and corrupt demands, brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Originally, the EFCC filed 22 counts against Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, but the court struck out four charges on January 8, 2025, leaving 18 against Emefiele and one against Omoile.
During Monday’s proceedings, the seventh prosecution witness, John Adetola, testified that he collected $400,000 from John Ayoh and delivered it to Emefiele in his office.
The prosecution also sought to confirm WhatsApp messages allegedly retrieved from Omoile’s phone.
However, the defence objected, arguing that the document had only been admitted for identification and should not be used as evidence.
Despite the objection, Justice Oshodi allowed the witness to read from the document, prompting Emefiele’s lawyer to protest.
Ojo insisted that the court’s decision demonstrated bias. “This raises concerns about fairness in this trial,” he said.
Omoile’s lawyer, Gbadamosi Kazeem (SAN), supported the application, aligning with Ojo’s position.
However, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), dismissed the request as a deliberate attempt to stall proceedings.
“This proceeding has been conducted fairly and equitably. My Lordship has ruled against us many times. If the defence is dissatisfied, they know the appropriate legal channels to challenge the rulings,” Oyedepo argued.
He further stated that such a request should be made formally, not orally.
“The application is intended to delay the matter, that is the only reasonable conclusion,” Oyedepo added.
Before the adjournment, Emefiele’s lawyer also sought leave to appeal the court’s earlier ruling on jurisdiction.
Justice Oshodi fixed February 26, 2025, to rule on the recusal request and other pending applications.
