Former CBN governor wins right to examine digital evidence in ongoing corruption trial
LAGOS, Nigeria – Former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele just scored what appears to be a significant legal victory. A Lagos High Court approved his request to conduct forensic examination of digital evidence in his $4.5 billion fraud trial, with Justice Rahman Oshodi ruling that Emefiele can independently review WhatsApp conversations and an iPhone device that prosecutors have been using against him.
Court Orders Supervised Evidence Review
Justice Oshodi wasn’t taking any chances, though. He set up what can only be described as tight protocols for the forensic examination, it’s scheduled for September 24 and 26, 2025, but only between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Each side gets just one lawyer and one forensic expert present. That’s it.
“The defendant had the right to conduct an independent forensic review provided safeguards were in place to protect the integrity of the evidence,” Justice Oshodi said during his ruling at the Special Offences Division in Ikeja.
A court-appointed representative will be watching over everything. The chain of custody? It stays locked down throughout the entire examination.
Defense Challenges Digital Evidence Authenticity
Back in June, Emefiele’s lead counsel, Senior Advocate Olalekan Ojo, had thrown down the gauntlet during proceedings on the 24th. His team wasn’t buying what the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was selling when it came to those digital messages.
“We are requesting permission to conduct a forensic analysis of the mobile device and the messages extracted therefrom in order to verify their authenticity and integrity,” Ojo told the court. He called it “a critical element of our defence”, and honestly, you can see why.
What they want to examine seems pretty specific: the mobile device labeled “iPhone 2” and printed conversations that may or may not actually link back to the defendants.
EFCC Pushes Back on Forensic Application
The prosecution wasn’t having it. EFCC counsel Chinenye Okezie came out swinging, arguing that Emefiele’s team had basically fumbled the procedural requirements. Her point? Once evidence gets admitted, the court takes custody and everything stays put until the trial wraps up.
“The defendants have not offered any options of accredited forensic labs for the court to consider,” Okezie pointed out. She pushed for the EFCC’s own Forensic Department to nominate a certified laboratory if the court was going to allow this at all.
Okezie also raised what might be valid concerns about chain of custody protocols. She wanted prosecution experts present during any examination, presumably to make sure nobody was playing games with the evidence.
$4.5 Billion Corruption Charges
Here’s where things get heavy. Emefiele is staring down 19 criminal counts alongside co-defendant Henry Omoile. We’re talking abuse of office, receiving gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property transactions. The numbers? $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion in alleged financial crimes.
Earlier testimony from EFCC witness Alvan Gurumnaan painted a picture of Emefiele allegedly pocketing $17.1 million in cash through a proxy over three years while he was running the CBN. If that’s accurate, it’s a stunning fall from grace for someone who was supposed to be safeguarding Nigeria’s monetary policy.
What Happens Next
The court has pushed everything to October 7-8, 2025, for trial continuation. Victim testimony is set for October 9, 2025. Justice Oshodi made one thing crystal clear: that iPhone 2 (Exhibit E) isn’t going anywhere – it stays in court custody throughout this whole forensic dance.
Whether this forensic examination will actually help Emefiele’s case remains to be seen. Digital evidence can be tricky, it might vindicate him, or it could end up providing even more ammunition for the prosecution.
