Lawyer has told the court that EFCC tried to pressure my client to implicate Emefiele.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that the defence counsel to the second defendant in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of attempting to coerce his client into giving incriminating evidence against the former apex bank chief.
The allegation was made by lawyer Nnamdi Offial while testifying in a trial-within-trial ordered by Justice Rahman Oshodi to determine whether the statement obtained from the second defendant, Henry Omoile, was made voluntarily.
Although Offial, under cross-examination by prosecution counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), admitted that Omoile was cautioned in his presence and signed the cautionary statement, he insisted that EFCC investigators made repeated promises aimed at inducing his client to implicate Emefiele.
Emefiele and Omoile are standing trial on charges bordering on acceptance of gratification, receipt of gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent receipt of property. The EFCC also alleged that the defendants conferred corrupt advantages on associates, contrary to provisions of the Corrupt Practices Act, 2000. Both men have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Offial told the court that the head of the EFCC investigative team assured Omoile that he could be granted bail and possibly not charged at all if he cooperated by providing evidence against the former CBN governor.
He further alleged that the interrogation process was tightly controlled, with questions asked verbally and written responses only permitted when investigators were satisfied with the answers given.
“On several occasions, questions were put to the second defendant and he answered, but he was not allowed to write them down because the answers did not align with what the interrogators wanted. I objected repeatedly,” Offial said.
According to him, the interrogation session of February 26, 2024, ended with EFCC officials informing him that Omoile would remain in detention because investigations were ongoing.
Offial also recounted an incident on February 27, 2024, when he confronted investigators over questioning his client in his absence, leading to a confrontation with an EFCC official identified as David, who allegedly ordered him out of the premises.
He said he later reported the incident to the head of the investigative team, who advised him to remain in the waiting area, adding that he was prevented from rendering legal assistance to his client until later that evening.
The lawyer testified that he was subsequently informed that Omoile had declined to cooperate with investigators and would therefore not be released, prompting him to seek bail from the EFCC zonal head.
Omoile was detained for 21 days before filing a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos. Justice Muslim Hassan later granted bail but ordered his remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the fulfilment of bail conditions.
During cross-examination, Offial admitted that he was present during the statement-taking process and understood that whatever his client wrote could be used against him in court. He also confirmed that he did not file any formal complaint against the EFCC over the alleged misconduct and that the court handling the fundamental rights suit did not find the commission guilty of wrongdoing.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to January 16 for continuation of the hearing.