THE Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has scheduled September 15, 2025, to deliver its ruling on an application by embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, seeking forensic analysis of WhatsApp messages admitted as evidence in his ongoing trial over an alleged $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion fraud.
Presiding Judge Rahman Oshodi fixed the date after hearing arguments from Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), who challenged the authenticity of the digital evidence presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ojo informed the court that the defence intends to engage a forensic expert to verify the credibility of both the mobile device—identified as an “iPhone 2”—and the extracted messages.
Ojo emphasized the relevance of the examination to the defence, stating, “It is a critical element of our case.”
However, EFCC counsel Chinenye Okezie opposed the application, arguing that the defence failed to provide essential details such as the forensic lab to be used, the credentials of the experts, or the expected duration of the process.
She also insisted that any examination must preserve the chain of custody and be supervised by an expert nominated by the prosecution to prevent tampering.
“The court is now the custodian of the evidence,” Okezie stressed. “Any forensic exercise must maintain its integrity and transparency.”
Justice Oshodi deferred the ruling on the matter until after the court’s annual vacation.
Background
Emefiele is standing trial alongside co-defendant Henry Omoile on a 19-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and fraud.
In a previous hearing on May 27, EFCC witness Alvan Gurumnaan testified that Emefiele allegedly received $17.1 million in cash over a three-year period through a proxy.
The EFCC subsequently tendered various documents linked to the transactions, which Emefiele’s legal team has requested be subjected to forensic scrutiny.
The case remains one of the most high-profile prosecutions of a former public official in recent years.