A Lagos State Special Offences Court judge, R.A. Oshodi, has refused an application by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, to recuse himself from his ongoing corruption trial, citing allegations of bias as unsubstantiated.
Emefiele is facing 19 counts of receiving gratification and corrupt demands, while his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, is charged with three counts of unlawful acceptance of gifts by an agent.
Judge Dismisses Allegations of Bias
During the 24 February proceedings, Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), and Omoile’s counsel, Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN), requested the judge to step down from the case, claiming bias. Instead of cross-examining the seventh prosecution witness, they orally applied for the judge’s withdrawal.
However, in his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Oshodi dismissed the request, stating:
“There is no iota of evidence of bias. The allegations have not been substantiated, and accordingly, the first and second defendants’ recusal application is refused.”
Emefiele Granted Right to Appeal Ruling
Despite rejecting the recusal request, the judge allowed Emefiele to appeal an earlier court ruling from 8 January 2025, which challenged the court’s jurisdiction over the case.
Trial Adjourned Until May
Following arguments from both parties regarding the trial schedule, the judge agreed to an adjournment and set the next hearings for 26, 27, and 30 May 2025.
The prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), had pushed for an accelerated hearing but was overruled in favor of the defense’s request.
