A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, at Maitama, on Thursday, dismissed an application the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, brought for permission to file additional proof of evidence in the ongoing trial of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.

The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Hamza Muazu, noted that the anti-graft agency sought to introduce fresh evidence in the matter, over a year after the charge was filed.

EFCC, in the application it filed on October 15, 2024, equally sought the court’s permission to produce two more witnesses whose names were given as Tommy Odama John and Ifeanyi Omeke.

The court processes revealed that the proposed witnesses made extra-judicial statements in August 2024, while the charge was filed on August 14, 2023.

Ruling on the matter on Thursday, the court, while upholding an objection the embattled former CBN boss filed in opposition to the application, held that the EFCC had on February 12, 2024, also filed additional proof of evidence against the defendant.

Justice Muazu held that it was the said additional evidence that accommodated the testimony of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, as well as that of one Bamayi Mairiga.

He stressed that the action of the EFCC had a semblance of an attempt to deny fair hearing to the defendant who took his plea on November 16, 2023, since he was not confronted with the new evidence during investigation as required by law.

The court equally held that the action of the prosecuting agency amounted to trial by ambush and a clear case of fishing for evidence in the trial that commenced on November 28, 2023.

It was the judge’s position that allowing the additional proof of evidence after the charge had been amended severally would be prejudicial to the defendant as his right to fair hearing would be jeopardised.

He held that the law made it clear that investigation must have been completed and a prima facie case established before a charge is preferred against a defendant.



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/emefiele-court-rejects-efccs-request-to-file-additional-evidence/