A lawyer representing one of the defendants in the ongoing $4.5 billion fraud case involving former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of using pressure tactics.
The lawyer, Nnamdi Offial, told a Lagos High Court that the EFCC tried to force his client, Henry Omoile, to implicate Emefiele during interrogation. He made the claim while testifying in a trial-within-trial, ordered by Justice Rahman Oshodi, to determine if Omoile’s statement was made voluntarily.
Offial alleged that EFCC officers promised his client bail and freedom from charges if he agreed to give information against Emefiele.
He said the interrogation was tightly controlled, and Omoile was only allowed to write answers that matched what investigators wanted.
According to the lawyer, his client was detained after refusing to cooperate and spent 21 days in custody before approaching the court for help. Although bail was later granted, Omoile was temporarily remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
However, under cross-examination, Offial admitted that Omoile was properly cautioned, signed his statement, and was aware it could be used in court. He also confirmed that no official complaint was filed against the EFCC and that the court did not rule that the agency acted wrongly.
Justice Oshodi has adjourned the case for continuation.
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