Fraud: Witness Insists Emefiele’s Co-defendant Statements Were Voluntary

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness on Tuesday told the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja that the second defendant, Henry Omoile, in the ongoing adjourned trial of a former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, voluntarily made an extrajudicial statement.

The witness, Alvan Gurumnaan, who was testifying in the trial within a trial ordered by Justice Rahman Oshodi to determine the voluntariness of the statement made by Omoile to the EFCC, stated that the defendant was coerced into making the statement.

The former CBN boss was arraigned before the court alongside Omoile on allegations of accepting gratification, accepting gifts through agents, corruption, and fraudulent property receipts.

The anti-graft agency also accused the defendant of conferring a corrupt advantage on his associates, in contravention of the Corrupt Practices Act 2000.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. At the resumed hearing of the matter, Gurumnaan testified that the second defendant did not make any statement under duress and that the anti-graft agency’s officers do not use violence or intimidation to force statements,” he told the court.

He further stated that if duress is alleged, the defendant must prove it.

At the previous hearing on October 9, 2025, prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) attempted to introduce Omoile’s statements as evidence.

However, defence lawyer Kotoye Adeyinka (SAN) objected, asserting that the statements were not made voluntarily. Justice Oshodi then ordered a trial-within-trial.

Gurumnaan, a former member of the EFCC’s Special Operations Unit in Lagos, explained that Omoile made the statements in the Commission’s conference room in Block A of the Lagos Directorate, located on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.

He described the room as a spacious, open area regularly used by the Special Operations Team.

The witness found Omoile’s objection surprising, noting that the defendant had come to 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’s no way we could have done that under threat,” he stated.

The court admitted four statements—three from February 26, 2024, and one from February 27, 2024—as Exhibits 1 through 4.

Gurumnaan confirmed that Omoile was in custody when he made the statements.

He stated that the defendant was properly cautioned before speaking, and the caution was administered by another officer, Mr Azeez Ajigbotosho.

“The second defendant signed the statements. He even wrote, ‘I am making this statement in the presence of my lawyer, Offiong,’” he added.

Although one statement did not explicitly mention the lawyer’s presence, the witness maintained that Offiong was present on both days and produced the EFCC visitors’ register as evidence.

During cross-examination by defence lawyers Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and Adeyinka (SAN), Gurumnaan admitted that no video recording was made, even though it is part of EFCC’s standard procedure.

He explained that operational circumstances sometimes prevent video recording.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the trial-within-trial to Thursday, January 15, and Friday, January 16, 2026.