The trial of former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, hit another roadblock as the EFCC and defence counsel clashed over the forensic examination of an iPhone containing WhatsApp chats used as evidence.
At the Lagos High Court in Ikeja, Justice Rahman Oshodi heard that a joint forensic review ordered by the court couldn’t proceed due to alleged obstruction by the EFCC.
Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), accused the EFCC of refusing full access to the device during the scheduled examination on September 24–25, despite the presence of all parties and the court registrar. He asked for a new court order allowing “unfettered access” to verify the authenticity of the messages.
But EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), denied the claims, saying the defence expert lacked credibility—no lab, no office, and allegedly performed part of the exam online, risking data integrity.
The clash raises fresh concerns over the handling of key evidence in the 4.5bn fraud case against Emefiele.
