THE high-profile fraud trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, took a new turn on Tuesday as the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, granted his request to conduct a forensic examination of key digital evidence presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Rahman Oshodi, presiding over the Special Offences Division, ruled that Emefiele has the constitutional right to independently verify the authenticity of evidence used against him provided strict safeguards are in place to preserve the integrity of the materials.
The contested evidence includes a mobile device marked “Exhibit E – iPhone 2” and printed WhatsApp conversations allegedly linked to Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile.
Justice Oshodi directed that the forensic inspection must:
Be carried out in the presence of all parties to the case.
Allow only one lawyer and one forensic expert per party.
Be conducted under court supervision between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on September 24 and 26, 2025.
Maintain the chain of custody of the evidence, which will remain in the court’s custody throughout the process.
At earlier proceedings, Emefiele’s lead counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, had challenged the credibility of the WhatsApp chats tendered by the EFCC, arguing that their authenticity was central to the case.
“My Lord, we are requesting permission to conduct a forensic analysis of the mobile device and the messages extracted therefrom in order to verify their authenticity and integrity.
It is a critical element of our defence,” Ojo submitted.
The defence maintained that without a credible forensic review, the digital evidence could not be relied upon for fair adjudication.
However, EFCC counsel Chinenye Okezie opposed the application, insisting that the defence failed to provide procedural details, including the name of the lab, the qualifications of the experts, and the timeline for the examination.
Okezie argued that: Once an exhibit has been admitted in evidence, the court assumes custody and must safeguard it until trial concludes.
Any forensic inspection must be done under supervision and preferably by an accredited lab nominated by the prosecution.
“Any examination should be conducted in the presence of a qualified expert to be nominated by the prosecution. This is to prevent tampering and to guarantee the integrity of the process,” Okezie submitted.
Emefiele is facing a 19-count charge bordering on abuse of office, gratification, corruption, and fraudulent property transactions involving $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion.
In testimony earlier this year, EFCC witness Alvan Gurumnaan alleged that the former CBN Governor received $17.1 million in cash over a three-year period through a proxy.
The EFCC has already tendered several documents, messages, and transaction records to support its case. Emefiele, through his legal team, has indicated his intention to subject all such evidence to forensic scrutiny.
The court has adjourned further hearing to October 7 and 8, 2025, for continuation of trial, while October 9, 2025 has been set for the testimony of the alleged victim.