Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has called for the withdrawal of Justice Rahman Oshodi from his ongoing trial over alleged fraud involving $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion. Emefiele’s legal team, led by Olalekan Ojo (SAN), accused the judge of exhibiting bias and urged him to recuse himself from presiding over the case.
The request was made during Monday’s session at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos. Justice Oshodi adjourned the hearing until February 26, 2025, to determine whether he would step down from the trial.
Emefiele is facing 19 counts, including abuse of office, receiving gratification, and corrupt practices, which were brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC initially filed 22 charges against Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile. However, on January 8, 2025, the court struck out four counts related to abuse of office, leaving the remaining charges to proceed.
During Monday’s proceedings, the seventh prosecution witness, Mr. John Adetola, testified that he had received $400,000 from John Ayoh and delivered it to Emefiele at his office. The prosecution also presented WhatsApp messages allegedly retrieved from Omoile’s phone, which they intended to use as evidence. However, the defence objected, arguing that the documents had only been admitted for identification and should not be used as evidence. Despite the objection, Justice Oshodi permitted the witness to read from the messages.
In response, Emefiele’s lawyer, Ojo, strongly criticized the court’s ruling, asserting that it demonstrated bias. He argued that a judge could be “consciously or unconsciously biased” and urged the court to recuse itself from further hearings.
Omoile’s lawyer, Gbadamosi Kazeem (SAN), supported Ojo’s call for the judge’s withdrawal. However, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), opposed the motion, accusing the defence of attempting to delay the trial. He argued that the proceedings had been conducted fairly, citing instances where the court had ruled against the prosecution. Oyedepo emphasized that the defence could seek a legal challenge to any unfavorable rulings through proper channels.
Before the court adjourned, Emefiele’s lawyer also requested permission to appeal the court’s earlier ruling on the jurisdiction of the case. Justice Oshodi set February 26, 2025, to rule on both the recusal request and other pending applications related to the trial.
