Emefiele Seeks Rejection of Statements in Torture Claim

Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, is currently facing a trial at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on 19 counts of money laundering and financial crimes. Emefiele has requested the court to reject five statements he allegedly made while in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), claiming they were obtained under torture during his 157-day detention.

His counsel, Olalekan Ojo, argued that the statements were involuntarily obtained and cited the Anti-Torture Act of 2017, asserting that the prosecution must prove the statements were made voluntarily. The prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo, sought to tender these statements, which were made on October 26, 27, 30, and November 1 and 2, 2023.

The court has adjourned the matter until July 9, 2026, to rule on the admissibility of the disputed statements, with substantive trial dates set for October and November 2026.