An Abuja Excessive Court docket on Wednesday adjourned the trial of Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Financial institution of Nigeria (CBN) till November 27 to rule on the eligibility of a witness from the Workplace of the Lawyer-Basic of the Federation (OAGF) to testify within the case.
Justice Hamza Muazu made the ruling following objections raised by Emefiele’s protection workforce concerning the prosecution’s try to name the witness.
Emefiele is being prosecuted by the OAGF in case quantity CR/577/2023 on an amended 20-count cost together with prison breach of belief, conferring corrupt benefit, forgery, conspiracy to acquire by false pretence, and acquiring cash by false pretence throughout his tenure as CBN governor.
He’s accused of utilizing his place to award six contracts for the provision of autos price N1.2 billion to April 1616 Funding Ltd., an organization through which Sa’adatu Ramalan Yaro, a CBN employees member, is a director and shareholder. Emefiele has pleaded not responsible to all fees.
On the resumed listening to, Mathew Burkaa SAN, Emefiele’s counsel, objected to the prosecution’s eleventh witness, Alvan Grumman, testifying within the case.
Burkaa argued that Grumman’s identify was included in a further proof of proof dated October 15, 2024, which the court docket had struck out in a ruling on March 20.
He acknowledged that the prosecution had appealed the March 20 resolution and, as such, the witness shouldn’t be allowed to testify, describing the prosecution’s try as an abuse of court docket process for pursuing each vertical and horizontal proceedings concurrently.
In response, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, prosecution counsel stated the March 20 ruling solely pertained to witnesses Tommy Odama and Ifeanyi Omeke and didn’t point out Grumman.
He stated Grumman is the lead investigator who holds materials information important to the case and urged the court docket to reject the protection’s objection.
After listening to each side, Justice Muazu adjourned the matter till November 27 to resolve on the admissibility of Grumman’s testimony and the continuation of the trial.
Earlier, Oyedepo knowledgeable the court docket that the prosecution had filed two separate functions to subpoena Tommy Odama and Ifeanyi Omeke, who maintain data necessary to the case.
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Emefiele’s counsel opposed the functions, arguing that the March 20 ruling stays binding and that because the prosecution has appealed, they can not return to the decrease court docket to hunt the identical requests.
He additionally famous that the subpoenas have been filed by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC), not the OAGF, which is prosecuting the case.
Justice Muazu has reserved ruling on these subpoena functions.
