A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has denied an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking to introduce additional proof of evidence in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Delivering the ruling on Thursday, March 20, Justice Hamza Muazu stated that the EFCC’s request came over a year after the initial charges were filed, raising concerns about fairness in the trial.
The anti-graft agency had also sought to present two new witnesses, Tommy Odama John and Ifeanyi Omeke, whose statements were made in August 2024—months after the trial had commenced.
Justice Muazu noted that the EFCC had already submitted additional evidence on February 12, 2024, which included testimonies from former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha and one Bamayi Mairiga.
He ruled that the agency’s latest attempt to introduce fresh evidence amounted to an “ambush” against the defendant, violating his right to a fair hearing, as the new evidence had not been presented during the initial investigation.
The court further held that repeatedly amending the charges and adding new evidence at this stage would be prejudicial to Emefiele. It also emphasized that investigations should be concluded before charges are filed, rather than continuing to gather evidence during an ongoing trial.
However, Justice Muazu declined Emefiele’s request to dismiss the charges on the grounds that they stemmed from an incomplete investigation. He ruled that the trial should proceed, as both parties had already engaged extensively in the case, which was nearing completion.
Additionally, the judge refused to strike out the testimonies of Mustapha and Mairiga, despite Emefiele’s legal team arguing that their statements undermined his right to a fair trial.
The case was adjourned to June 3 for further proceedings. Emefiele is facing charges of alleged procurement fraud totaling N1.2 billion, including the awarding of contracts for 43 vehicles between 2018 and 2020.
The EFCC also accuses him of granting undue advantage to Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro by awarding her a contract for the procurement of 37 Toyota Hilux vehicles valued at N854 million.
