Olayiwola Matthew
A Lagos State Special Offences Court has given former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele the greenlight to bring in an independent forensic expert to inspect key digital evidence in his ongoing trial.
On Monday, Justice Rahman Oshodi ruled that Emefiele’s defence team could engage a specialist to examine an iPhone (Exhibit E) and the WhatsApp conversations already admitted in court. The judge said the review would help verify the authenticity of the messages, provided strict safeguards were followed.
Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are facing 19 counts filed by the EFCC, including abuse of office, corruption, and fraudulent property transactions involving $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion.
The EFCC opposed the request, warning that it could compromise the chain of custody of the evidence. Prosecutors argued that the defence had not disclosed which forensic lab or expert would handle the device. They also pushed for the EFCC’s own forensic director to oversee any review.
Justice Oshodi struck a middle ground:
Each side can bring one lawyer and one forensic expert.
A court representative must supervise the process.
The phone remains in court custody at all times.
The inspection will take place on September 24 and 26, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The trial resumes on October 7 and 8, with further hearings fixed for October 9, 2025.