By Ayomide Otitoju
The Special Offences Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi, has dismissed an application seeking to halt the corruption trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
In a ruling on Wednesday, Justice Oshodi rejected a request for his recusal, stating that allegations of bias against him were unfounded. Citing legal precedents, the judge emphasized that judicial bias alone is insufficient grounds for disqualification, except when it is personal or based on judicial reasoning.
“The application for my recusal lacks merit and is hereby rejected,” Oshodi ruled, allowing the trial to proceed.
Defence Alleges Bias
Emefiele’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Olalekan Ojo, had filed the application during Monday’s proceedings, arguing that the judge had demonstrated bias by permitting the prosecution to ask a leading question despite an objection from the defence.
The defence claimed that this ruling undermined their ability to fairly cross-examine a witness and, as a result, requested that Justice Oshodi step down from the case.
With the application now dismissed, the trial against the embattled former CBN governor will continue as scheduled.
