Justice
R.A.
Oshodi
of
a
Special
Offences
Court
sitting
in
Ikeja,
Lagos,
has
adjourned
till
February
26,
2025
to
deliver
ruling
on
an
application
by
a
former
governor
of
the
Cemtral
Bank
of
Nigeria,
Godwin
Emefiele,
asking
the
trial
judge
to
recuse
himself
alleging
bias.
Emefiele
is
standing
trial
on
a
19-count
charge
bordering
on
receiving
gratification
and
corrupt
demand
proferred
against
him
by
the
Economic
and
Financial
Crimes
Commission
(EFCC).
His
co-defendant,
Henry
Omoile,
is
facing
a
three-count
charge
bordering
on
unlawful
acceptance
of
gifts
by
agents.
They
have
pleaded
“not
guilty”
to
the
charges.
At
Monday’s
proceedings,
February
24,
2025,
the
prosecution
led
by
Rotimi
Oyedepo,
SAN,
concluded
the
examination-in-chief
of
the
seventh
prosecution
witness,
PW7,
Adetola
John,
but
rather
than
proceed
with
the
cross-examination,
counsel
for
Emefiele,
Olalekan
Ojo,
SAN,
and
Omoile’s
counsel,
Kazeem
Gbadamosi,
SAN
asked
the
court
to
recuse
itself
on
the
allegation
of
bias.
The
defence,
refused
to
cross-examine
the
witness
and
through
an
oral
application,
unanimously
asked
the
court
to
recuse
itself
alleging
bias.
Oyedepo,
however,
vehemently
opposed
the
application.
He
said:
“In
this
proceeding,
your
lordship
had
numerous
times
rule
against
the
prosecution
and
if
defence
is
dissatisfied
with
the
ruling
of
the
court,
they
can
appeal.
“I
do
not
know
what
defence
is
trying
to
prove
by
telling
this
court
to
recuse
itself
because
in
this
case,
there
is
no
evidence
of
allegation
of
bias.
“This
is
a
form
of
delay
tactics
and
I
urge
your
lordship
to
discountenance
this
application
because
a
reasonable
person
in
this
court
will
realise
that
this
application
is
meant
to
delay
this
trial.
“The
court
had
earlier
granted
accelerated
hearing
in
this
case
and
I
urge
this
honourable
court
to
ask
defence
to
cross-examine
the
witness.”
Thereafter,
Justice
Oshodi
adjourned
to
rule
on
the
application.
Dele
Oyewale
Head,
Media
&
Publicity
February
24,
2025
Credit: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
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