EFCC Never Harassed My Client – Defense Lawyer in Emefiele’s $4.5bn Fraud Case

The counsel to Henry Omoile, E.N Offial, who is standing trial with a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele, over an alleged $4.5bn fraud, on Thursday, January 15, 2026, told Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, that his client was never harassed by the EFCC during interrogation.

Emefiele is currently facing a 19-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), bordering on receiving gratification and making corrupt demands during his tenure as CBN Governor.

His co-defendant, Omoile, is facing a three-count charge bordering on unlawful acceptance of gifts as an agent.
Both defendants have pleaded “not guilty” to all charges.

At the resumed sitting on Thursday, Omoile’s lawyer, during cross-examination by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, admitted that the defendant was cautioned in his presence and that he signed the caution.

He also admitted participating in the process and that he knew what the second defendant wrote could be used against him in court.

When asked by Oyedepo whether he had complained or filed a petition regarding the investigative team’s alleged conduct, the witness answered in the negative.

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He also admitted that the Judge who heard the fundamental rights enforcement case did not find the EFCC guilty of any misconduct and that his client was never harassed in his presence.

Earlier in the proceedings, he had falsely accused the EFCC of attempting to pressure his client into implicating the first defendant, Emefiele.

Offial, who was testifying in the trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of Omoile’s statement to the EFCC, had claimed that the investigators made various promises to him in exchange for indicting Emefiele.

Offial stated that Omoile told him that the Head of the EFCC team that interrogated him assured him that he would get bail and might not be charged at all if he cooperated by revealing incriminating evidence against the first defendant. All these were later found to be unfounded.

The witness also testified that the Interrogation was conducted in a question-and-answer format, and that his client was required to answer the questions satisfactorily before being allowed to write them on the statement sheet.

Consequently, Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter till January 16 for the continuation of the hearing.

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