{"id":1525,"date":"2025-02-25T14:39:42","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T13:39:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fortistv.com\/ltv\/?p=1525"},"modified":"2025-02-25T15:05:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T14:05:15","slug":"emefiele-alleges-bias-seeks-judges-withdrawal-in-4-5bn-fraud-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fortistv.com\/ltv\/2025\/02\/25\/emefiele-alleges-bias-seeks-judges-withdrawal-in-4-5bn-fraud-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"Emefiele Alleges Bias, Seeks Judge\u2019s Withdrawal in $4.5bn Fraud Trial"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor<\/strong>, Godwin Emefiele<\/strong>, has called for the withdrawal of Justice Rahman Oshodi<\/strong> from his ongoing trial over alleged $4.5bn and N2.8bn fraud<\/strong> at the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Monday\u2019s hearing, Emefiele\u2019s legal team<\/strong>, led by Olalekan Ojo (SAN)<\/strong>, accused the judge of bias and urged him to recuse himself from the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justice Oshodi adjourned proceedings to February 26, 2025<\/strong>, to rule on the request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)<\/strong> has filed 19 counts<\/strong> against Emefiele, including abuse of office, receiving gratification, and corrupt demands<\/strong>. Initially, the case involved 22 counts<\/strong> against Emefiele and his associate, Henry Omoile<\/strong>, but the court struck out four counts<\/strong> on January 8, 2025, retaining jurisdiction over the remaining charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Monday\u2019s hearing, the seventh prosecution witness<\/strong>, John Adetola<\/strong>, testified that he collected $400,000<\/strong> from John Ayoh<\/strong> and delivered it to Emefiele<\/strong> in his office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prosecution also presented WhatsApp messages<\/strong> said to have been retrieved from Omoile\u2019s phone<\/strong>, 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<\/strong>, prompting Emefiele\u2019s lawyer<\/strong> to raise concerns about bias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA judge can be either consciously or unconsciously biased\u2026 At this stage, I urge the court to recuse itself,\u201d Ojo argued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Omoile\u2019s lawyer, Gbadamosi Kazeem (SAN)<\/strong>, also supported the request for the judge\u2019s withdrawal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN),<\/strong> opposed the application, describing it as a delay tactic<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis 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,\u201d Oyedepo stated, insisting that such a request should be made formally, not orally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the adjournment, Emefiele\u2019s legal team also sought leave to appeal the court\u2019s earlier ruling on jurisdiction<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justice Oshodi fixed February 26, 2025<\/strong>, to deliver rulings on the recusal request and other pending applications.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s hearing, Emefiele\u2019s legal team, led by Olalekan Ojo (SAN), accused the judge of bias and urged him…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1526,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[38,2],"tags":[492,494,493],"class_list":["post-1525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-politics","tag-emefiele","tag-former-cbn-governor","tag-fraud-trial"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t