Henry Omoile, the co-defendant, standing trial alongside Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), over an alleged $4.5 billion fraud, has told a Lagos court that he lied in a statement made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Omoile spoke on Friday while testifying during a trial-within-a-trial before Rahman Oshodi, judge of the special offences court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
The trial-within-a-trial was instituted to determine whether Omoile’s statements to EFCC investigators were given voluntarily.
While being led in evidence by his counsel, Adeyinka Kotoye, Omoile said the statements, admitted as exhibits TWT 1–4, did not contain a genuine confession, alleging that investigators dictated what he wrote.
“The statement exhibits in trial-within-trial 1–4; I did not confess in that statement. I lied in my statement. The EFCC threatened me that if I did not write what they wanted, they would charge me to court,” he told the court.
Emefiele is facing a 19-count charge filed by the EFCC bordering on receiving gratification and making corrupt demands during his tenure as CBN governor.
Omoile is facing a three-count charge concerning the unlawful acceptance of gifts as an agent. Both Emefiele and Omoile have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During cross-examination by Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel to the EFCC, Omoile admitted that he was cautioned before making the statement, adding that he signed the cautionary words.
When asked whether the EFCC had filed a counter-affidavit opposing the allegations he raised, Omoile said yes but acknowledged that he did not present the document to the court.
The defendant also told the court that he had discussed with his lawyer the possibility of filing a fundamental human rights enforcement suit, confirming that a motion ex parte had been filed earlier in the day.
Under further questioning, Omoile admitted that the ruling he tendered had no direct bearing on exhibit D4, although he maintained that both issues were related.
“I just wanted to go home,” he said while responding to questions about the circumstances surrounding the statement.
When asked whether he had filed any complaint or petition against the EFCC investigative team over the alleged threats, Omoile answered in the negative.
Earlier in the proceedings, Omoile alleged that investigators attempted to pressure him to implicate Emefiele.
He said the head of the investigative team, identified as Alvan, allegedly told him he could be granted bail and might not be charged if he cooperated by providing incriminating evidence against the former CBN governor.
The judge adjourned the matter till April 17 for the adoption of final written addresses.
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