The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday told the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, that statements made by the second defendant, Henry Omoile, in the ongoing $4.5bn fraud trial involving former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, were voluntarily given and not obtained under any form of intimidation.
Emefiele is facing 19 counts bordering on gratification, corrupt practices and abuse of office, while Omoile is standing trial on a three-count charge involving alleged unlawful acceptance of gifts. Both men have pleaded not guilty.
Testifying in a trial-within-trial, prosecution witness and EFCC operative, Alvan Gurumnaan, maintained that the agency’s operatives are “trained professionals” who do not force confessional statements through threats or violence.
“The second defendant did not make any statement under duress. EFCC officers do not extract statements through intimidation,”
Gurumnaan told the court.
He explained that the statements were taken openly at the commission’s conference room in Ikoyi and insisted that Omoile was accompanied by the Acting Managing Director of NIBSS and his lawyer, E. N. Offiong, when he voluntarily presented himself at the EFCC office on February 26, 2024.
His testimony contradicts the claim by Omoile’s counsel, Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN), that the statements were not voluntary.
The defence had objected to the admissibility of the statements at the last sitting on October 9, prompting Justice Mojisola Oshodi to order the trial-within-trial to determine their voluntariness.
Although Gurumnaan admitted under cross-examination that there was no video recording of the sessions—as required under EFCC standard procedure—he said certain operational conditions sometimes make such recordings impracticable.
He added that Omoile signed each statement after being cautioned, noting that one of the documents even indicated that it was taken “in the presence of his lawyer.”
To strengthen his claim, Gurumnaan tendered the EFCC visitors’ register, which he said confirmed the lawyer’s presence on both days the statements were made.
The court admitted four statements—three dated February 26, 2024, and one dated February 27, 2024—as Exhibits 1 to 4.
When asked why Omoile later challenged the statements, the witness said he found it “surprising,” insisting that nothing was done to compel the defendant.
Following cross-examination by defence counsel Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and Kotoye, Justice Oshodi adjourned continuation of the trial-within-trial to January 15 and 16, 2026.
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