The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, told Justice Rahman Oshodi of a Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, that a codefendant, Henry Omoile, voluntarily made his statements in the ongoing $4.5 billion alleged fraud trial involving a former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele is standing trial on a 19-count charge bordering on gratification and corrupt demands, while Omoile, his codefendant, faces a three-count charge relating to unlawful acceptance of gifts. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.
Testifying yesterday in a trial-within-trial, an EFCC’s operative, Alvan Gurumnaan, said no officer of the Commission coerced Omoile into making any statements. “The second defendant did not make any statement under duress.
Our officers do not force statements through violence or intimidation,” he told the court. He added that where an allegation of duress is made, the burden lies on the defendant to prove it.
At the last sitting on October 9, 2025, prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), had sought to tender Omoile’s extra-judicial statements in evidence.
But, the defence lawyer, Kotoye Adeyinka (SAN), objected, insisting the statements were not voluntarily made. Justice Oshodi subsequently ordered a trial-within-trial.
In his evidence, Gurumnaan, formerly of the Special Operations Unit of EFCC Lagos Zonal Command, narrated how Omoile made the statements at the Commission’s conference room in Block A of the Lagos Directorate, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.
He described the venue as a large open conference space routinely used by the Special Operations Team. The witness said he found Omoile’s objection surprising, noting that the defendant arrived at the EFCC office on February 26, 2024, accompanied by the Acting Managing Director of NIBSS and his lawyer, Mr. E. N. Offiong.
“The statements were taken openly. There is no way we could have done that under threat,” he said. The court admitted four statements—three dated February 26, 2024, and one dated February 27, 2024—as Exhibits 1–4. Gurumnaan confirmed that Omoile was in custody when he made them.
