Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja has rejected a request for his recusal from the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Delivering his ruling on Wednesday, Justice Oshodi stated that the allegations of bias raised by the defence were unsubstantiated and lacked evidence to justify his withdrawal from the case.
The defence team, led by Olalekan Ojo, had on Monday orally applied for the judge to step down, arguing that his previous rulings suggested a likelihood of bias. However, Rotimi Oyedepo, counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), opposed the request, insisting that the proceedings had been conducted fairly.
After reviewing the arguments and legal references provided by both sides, Justice Oshodi ruled that the application lacked merit and subsequently dismissed it, allowing the trial to proceed.
