A key EFCC witness has told the court that Henry Omoile, co-defendant in the $4.5 billion fraud trial of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, made his statements voluntarily, contradicting claims of duress.
Alvan Gurumnaan, an EFCC operative, testified before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja that Omoile’s statements, recorded on February 26 and 27, 2024, were taken professionally in the presence of his lawyer and officials from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).
“The second defendant did not make any statement under duress. Our officers do not use threat or violence,” Gurumnaan said, adding that it was Omoile’s responsibility to prove otherwise.
Emefiele faces a 19-count charge over alleged corrupt demands during his tenure, while Omoile faces three counts of unlawful acceptance of gifts. Both have pleaded not guilty.
During the trial-within-trial, the court admitted four statements as exhibits. Gurumnaan confirmed EFCC’s standard cautioning procedure before recording statements and said Omoile personally acknowledged making the statements freely in his lawyer’s presence.
Under cross-examination, Gurumnaan admitted the statements were not video recorded but explained that “certain circumstances sometimes make video recordings impossible.”
The trial is now adjourned to January 15 and 16, 2026, for continuation of the trial-within-trial.
