Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja has postponed ruling on an application filed by former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, who is seeking a forensic analysis of WhatsApp messages presented as evidence in his ongoing fraud trial.

Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), asked the court for permission to engage a forensic expert to examine an iPhone—referred to as “iPhone 2”—and the printed WhatsApp messages retrieved from it. These materials were submitted by the prosecution as part of the evidence.

“My Lord, we are requesting a forensic examination of the mobile phone and the extracted messages to confirm their authenticity and integrity. This is a vital part of our defence,” Ojo told the court.

However, the prosecuting lawyer from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chinenye Okezie, opposed the request. She argued that the defence had not followed proper procedures.

“The defence has not named the forensic lab they intend to use, nor have they shared the qualifications of the personnel who would carry out the examination,” she stated.

Okezie also noted that the duration of the examination was not disclosed. She emphasized that once an item has been admitted as evidence, it becomes the property of the court and must remain unchanged until the trial ends.

She further argued that if the court decides to allow the forensic analysis, the examination should be supervised by a certified forensic lab chosen by the EFCC’s Forensic Department. She also requested that the process be done in the presence of an EFCC-nominated expert to ensure the evidence is not tampered with.

Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are facing a 19-count charge brought by the EFCC, involving alleged conspiracy, money laundering, and fraud totaling $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion.

After hearing both sides, Justice Oshodi adjourned his ruling on the forensic examination request until September 15, 2025.