Emefiele-Court-Reminds.webp
The Digest:

The legal team for Henry Omoile, a co-defendant of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, has leveled a serious allegation in court: that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission pressured their client to provide incriminating evidence in exchange for freedom, casting a shadow over the methods employed in one of Nigeria's most prominent financial crime prosecutions.

Key Points:
  • Henry Omoile's lawyer alleged EFCC investigators asked his client to provide incriminating evidence against Godwin Emefiele.
  • The allegation was made during a trial-within-trial to determine if Omoile's statements were made voluntarily.
  • The lawyer claimed interrogators restricted Omoile and dictated answers that fit their narrative.
  • He alleged EFCC promised Omoile bail and non-prosecution in exchange for cooperating against Emefiele.
  • Omoile was reportedly detained for 21 days following the interrogation sessions.
  • The lawyer admitted he did not file a formal petition against the investigators' alleged misconduct.
  • The presiding judge has adjourned the hearing until later in the day.
This allegation opens a window into the intense pressures that can accompany high-profile prosecutions, where the pursuit of justice risks being tangled in the mechanics of securing a conviction.

Sources: The Cable