His co-defendant, Henry Omoile, is facing a separate three-count charge bordering on the alleged unlawful acceptance of gifts as an agent. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the resumed hearing on Friday, an EFCC investigator, Alvan Gurumnaan, continued his testimony before the court.
During the proceedings, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, sought to tender the certified true copy of the Supreme Court judgement as an exhibit, but the defence opposed its admission.
Counsel to Emefiele, Olalekan Ojo, argued that the document could not be regarded as a valid Supreme Court judgement because it was signed by only four justices, whereas decisions of the apex court are delivered by a panel of five or seven justices.
Ojo further argued that the judgement arose from non-conviction proceedings and was therefore irrelevant to the prosecution’s case. He urged the court to reject the document.
Supporting the objection, counsel to the second defendant, Adeyinka Kotoye, argued that the document should not be admitted because the prosecution sought to introduce it after proceedings had commenced.
In response, Oyedepo maintained that the document was a duly certified copy of a Supreme Court judgement and satisfied the requirements of sections 102 and 104 of the Evidence Act.
In a brief ruling, the trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, held that the judgement was a public document and that the necessary certification requirements had been fulfilled.
The judge consequently admitted the document in evidence as Exhibit 10.
The case was adjourned until December 17 and 18, 2026, and January 11, 14 and 19, 2027, for continuation of trial.
Background
On July 17, 2026, the Supreme Court affirmed the final forfeiture to the Federal Government of properties and $2.045 million linked to Emefiele.
The apex court set aside the decision of the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, which had nullified the forfeiture order made by the Federal High Court.
The forfeited assets include two fully detached duplexes of identical design at No. 17B Hakeem Odumosu Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos; an undeveloped parcel of land measuring 1,919.592 square metres at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, formerly Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos; a bungalow at No. 65A Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi; and a four-bedroom duplex at No. 12A Probyn Road, Ikoyi.
Other properties include an industrial complex under construction on 22 plots of land in Agbor, Delta State; an eight-unit detached apartment on a 2,457.60-square-metre plot at No. 8A Adekunle Lawal Road, Ikoyi; and a duplex with its appurtenances on a 2,217.87-square-metre plot at No. 2A Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
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