On Friday, April 17, 2026, an Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi, postponed ruling in the ongoing trial of Godwin Emefiele until May 4, 2026, after both the prosecution and defence concluded arguments over the admissibility of a disputed statement linked to the case.
The adjournment followed a trial-within-trial conducted to determine whether the statement made by a co-defendant, Henry Omoile, was given voluntarily.
The case involves allegations against Emefiele, who is facing 19 counts related to alleged financial misconduct, including claims of unlawful benefits and abuse of office tied to transactions said to involve about $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion. Omoile, the second defendant, is also standing trial on separate charges concerning the alleged acceptance of gifts connected to dealings involving the Central Bank.
During proceedings, defence lawyers argued that the statement attributed to Omoile should not be admitted as evidence. They claimed it was not obtained in line with legal procedures and raised concerns about the absence of video recording during the interrogation, which they said is necessary when the voluntariness of a statement is questioned.
They also maintained that the prosecution failed to provide enough independent proof to support the statement and suggested it may have been influenced by pressure or inducement.
Counsel representing Emefiele also supported this position, stating that any uncertainty about how the statement was obtained should be resolved in favour of the accused. The defence further argued that the burden of proving that the statement was voluntary rests on the prosecution once it is challenged.
On the other hand, the prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, insisted that the statement was obtained properly and should be admitted. The prosecution argued that the presence of the defendant’s lawyer during the process supported its validity and maintained that the content of the statement showed no sign of coercion.
They also stated that the defendant did not implicate the first accused and denied wrongdoing, which they said indicated he was not under pressure.
After listening to both sides, Justice Oshodi fixed May 4, 2026, to deliver a ruling on whether the statement will be accepted as evidence. The court also scheduled June 26 and June 30, 2026, for the continuation of the main trial.