Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has called for the withdrawal of Justice Rahman Oshodi from his ongoing trial over alleged $4.5bn and N2.8bn fraud at the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja.
During Monday’s hearing, Emefiele’s legal team, led by Olalekan Ojo (SAN), accused the judge of bias and urged him to recuse himself from the case.
Justice Oshodi adjourned proceedings to February 26, 2025, to rule on the request.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 19 counts against Emefiele, including abuse of office, receiving gratification, and corrupt demands. Initially, the case involved 22 counts against Emefiele and his associate, Henry Omoile, but the court struck out four counts on January 8, 2025, retaining jurisdiction over the remaining charges.
During Monday’s hearing, the seventh prosecution witness, John Adetola, testified that he collected $400,000 from John Ayoh and delivered it to Emefiele in his office.
The prosecution also presented WhatsApp messages said to have been retrieved from Omoile’s phone, but the defence objected, arguing that the document had only been admitted for identification and should not be used as evidence. Despite this, Justice Oshodi allowed the witness to read from the document, prompting Emefiele’s lawyer to raise concerns about bias.
“A judge can be either consciously or unconsciously biased… At this stage, I urge the court to recuse itself,” Ojo argued.
Omoile’s lawyer, Gbadamosi Kazeem (SAN), also supported the request for the judge’s withdrawal.
EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), opposed the application, describing it as a delay tactic.
“This proceeding has been conducted fairly and equitably. My Lordship has ruled against us many times. If the defence is dissatisfied, they know the appropriate legal channels to challenge the rulings,” Oyedepo stated, insisting that such a request should be made formally, not orally.
Before the adjournment, Emefiele’s legal team also sought leave to appeal the court’s earlier ruling on jurisdiction.
Justice Oshodi fixed February 26, 2025, to deliver rulings on the recusal request and other pending applications.
