Emefiele’s Trial Faces Additional Delay as Prosecution Struggles to Secure Key Witness

The ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele has encountered fresh challenges, as the prosecution appears to be grappling with the unavailability of a crucial witness. Reports indicate that the prosecution might inform the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court that Jim Obazee, a special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu, is unable to testify in the case concerning an alleged $6.23 million discrepancy at the CBN’s Abuja branch.

Sources close to the case suggest that this could lead to another request for an adjournment. Legal experts have pointed out that the court, under the leadership of Justice Hamza Muazu, has already voiced concerns over the repeated delays in the trial. In fact, several adjournments have been granted, some of which exceeded the statutory time limits, raising concerns about the efficiency of the proceedings.

At the last hearing on March 17, Justice Muazu explicitly directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to present its principal witness on the next adjourned date, cautioning that failure to comply could result in consequences. A judicial source, who preferred to remain anonymous, revealed that the prosecution had initially planned to call a police officer as a witness but later scrapped the idea. The decision to abandon this plan was reportedly due to concerns about the reliability and weight of the testimony in such a high-profile case.

As the trial progresses, it has also been disclosed that EFCC officials have been in communication with Obazee, who, despite the current challenges, has reportedly expressed his willingness to testify—provided he is formally approached through the proper legal channels.