EMEFIELE’S $4.5BN TRIAL: EFCC WITNESS SAYS OMOILE MADE STATEMENTS WITHOUT DURESS

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Alvan Gurumnaan, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, told the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, that the second defendant in the ongoing $4.5 billion fraud trial, Henry Omoile, voluntarily made all his statements to investigators.

Gurumnaan testified during a trial-within-trial ordered to determine the admissibility of Omoile’s extra-judicial statements. He maintained that no EFCC officer coerced, intimidated, or used violence on the defendant at any point.

“The second defendant did not make any statement under duress. Our officers do not force statements through violence or intimidation,” the witness told Justice Oshodi. He added that when an allegation of duress is raised, the burden lies on the defendant to establish it.

Former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, is facing a 19-count charge bordering on gratification and corrupt demands, while Omoile faces a three-count charge relating to unlawful acceptance of gifts. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.

At the previous sitting on October 9, 2025, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) sought to tender Omoile’s statements in evidence, but defence counsel Kotoye Adeyinka (SAN) objected, arguing the statements were not voluntarily made. This prompted the court to order the trial-within-trial.

Gurumnaan, a former member of the EFCC Special Operations Unit in Lagos, narrated that Omoile made the statements in an open conference room at the Commission’s office on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. He said Omoile arrived on February 26, 2024, accompanied by the Acting Managing Director of NIBSS and his lawyer, Mr. E. N. Offiong.

“The statements were taken openly. There is no way they could have been obtained under threat,” he said.

The court admitted four statements three dated February 26, 2024, and one dated February 27, 2024 as Exhibits 1 to 4. The witness confirmed that Omoile was in custody at the time and had been properly cautioned, with the caution administered by another officer, Mr. Azeez Ajigbotosho.

Gurumnaan added that Omoile signed all the statements and even wrote that he made them in the presence of his lawyer. Although one statement did not explicitly indicate the lawyer’s presence, the witness insisted that Offiong attended both sessions and tendered the EFCC visitors’ register as evidence.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and Adeyinka (SAN), the witness admitted that no video recording was made during the interview, despite it being standard EFCC procedure. He explained, however, that operational circumstances occasionally make video documentation impossible.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the continuation of the trial-within-trial to Thursday, January 15, and Friday, January 16, 2026.