Godwin Emefiele, the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, has applied for a forensic examination of WhatsApp messages submitted as key evidence in his ongoing $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion fraud trial.
Counsel for the former CNN boss, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), made the application before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, seeking to challenge the authenticity of messages allegedly extracted from a mobile device tagged “iPhone 2” by the prosecution.
The messages, which were printed and tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), form a significant part of the 19-count charge bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and fraud levelled against Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile.
Ojo (SAN) argued that a forensic review of both the device and the printed chat logs is necessary to verify the credibility of the evidence and ensure fairness in the trial.
However, EFCC counsel, Chineye Okezie, opposed the motion, stating that once an exhibit is admitted, it must remain under the court's custody until proceedings are concluded.
She also criticised the defence for failing to specify the forensic lab, its personnel, or the timeframe for the analysis.
“The defendants have not offered any options of accredited forensic labs for the court to consider,” Okezie noted.
To safeguard the integrity of the evidence, she urged the court to allow the EFCC’s Director of Forensics to nominate a credible laboratory.
She further requested that any examination be conducted in the presence of a prosecution-nominated representative to maintain proper chain of custody.
Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to September 15, 2025, for ruling on the application.
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