Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has called for the removal of Justice Rahman Oshodi from his ongoing fraud trial at the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, alleging bias.
During Monday’s proceedings, Emefiele’s lead counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), argued that the judge’s handling of the case indicated partiality and urged him to step aside. The legal team raised concerns after Justice Oshodi permitted the prosecution to reference WhatsApp messages linked to Emefiele’s co-defendant, Henry Omoile, despite the defence’s objections.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Emefiele on 19 counts of alleged abuse of office, corrupt practices, and financial misconduct. Originally facing 22 charges, the court struck out four counts on January 8, 2025, narrowing the case to the remaining allegations.
During the hearing, prosecution witness John Adetola testified that he had delivered $400,000 to Emefiele at his office on behalf of a certain John Ayoh.
Meanwhile, the EFCC’s lead prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), dismissed the defence’s bid to disqualify the judge as a stalling strategy, insisting that all proceedings had been conducted fairly. He further maintained that any concerns over the judge’s rulings should be addressed through formal legal channels.
Omoile’s defence lawyer, Gbadamosi Kazeem (SAN), sided with Emefiele’s request, while Oyedepo countered that the application should be submitted in writing rather than raised verbally in court.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to February 26, 2025, to decide on the recusal request and other pending motions.
