Court admits newspaper publications as evidence in Emefiele’s trial

An Abuja High Court on Monday admitted five newspaper publications and certification receipts from the National Library of Nigeria as evidence in the ongoing trial of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele. Justice Maryanne Anenih admitted the materials and marked them as evidence, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, tendered […] Court admits newspaper publications as evidence in Emefiele’s trial

Court admits newspaper publications as evidence in Emefiele’s trial

An Abuja High Court on Monday admitted five newspaper publications and certification receipts from the National Library of Nigeria as evidence in the ongoing trial of former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.

Justice Maryanne Anenih admitted the materials and marked them as evidence, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, tendered them  through a subpoenaed witness, Jegede Oluwasegun, an official of the National Library of Nigeria.

Emefiele is being prosecuted on a four-count charge bordering on disobedience to the direction of law and illegal act causing injury to the public.

The offence, the EFCC said, contravened the provisions of Section 123 of the Penal Code, Cap 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990 and punishable under the same law.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

At the resumed hearing in the case on Monday, the witness was taken in evidence by Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the EFCC counsel.

The witness, who is the prosecution witness eight (PW 8), gave a detailed account of his schedule of duty.

Oyedepo later tendered copies of Punch, This Day, Vanguard, Daily Sun and The Nation newspapers and certification receipts.

The defendant counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, did not object to the materials presented by the prosecution.

While being cross examined by Emefiele’s counsel, Ojo, the witness admitted that was not the author of the contents of the Newspapers.

“What I do is to certify the newspapers,  I can not 100 per cent say the contents of the papers are right,  I am not  the author,” the witness told court.

Ojo then called for This Day publication of January 31, 2023, and its certification, the witness confirmed it.

The prosecution did not object to the document, and subsequently, the court admitted it in evidence and marked it as exhibit.

Justice Anenih then adjourned until Wednesday for further hearing.

Court admits newspaper publications as evidence in Emefiele’s trial