Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has dismissed a request for his recusal from the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele.
In his ruling, Justice Oshodi stated that the defense’s allegations of bias were unsubstantiated and lacked sufficient evidence to warrant his withdrawal from the case.
The defense team, led by Olalekan Ojo (SAN), had applied for the judge to step down, arguing on Monday that previous rulings indicated a likelihood of bias.
However, the prosecution, represented by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), opposed the request, asserting that the proceedings had been conducted fairly.
After reviewing the arguments and relevant legal precedents, Justice Oshodi concluded that the application lacked merit and subsequently dismissed it.
In a separate ruling, the court granted Emefiele permission to appeal its January 8 decision regarding the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
The trial has been adjourned to May 26 for continuation.
