The ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, suffered a setback on Tuesday after a heated disagreement between defence lawyers and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the forensic analysis of an iPhone tendered in evidence.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos High Court’s Special Offences Division, Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), told the court that the EFCC had obstructed the joint forensic examination earlier ordered by the court.

According to him, despite both parties and the court registrar being present on 24 and 25 September 2025, the examination of the device—identified as “iPhone 2”—could not proceed because EFCC officials refused to allow full access to the phone’s contents.

“The first brick wall we faced,” Ojo said, “was that the EFCC claimed the device could not be exposed to the entire team,” even after the registrar clarified that the order covered both the phone and its WhatsApp messages.

The defence therefore asked the court to issue a fresh directive granting “unfettered access” to both parties’ experts, arguing that the forensic results were vital to verifying the authenticity of the WhatsApp chats relied upon by the prosecution.

But EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) denied any obstruction, accusing the defence expert of lacking the facilities and credentials to conduct a credible analysis. He said the expert had “no physical laboratory, no verifiable office address,” and had carried out parts of the analysis online, thereby risking data compromise.

Oyedepo warned that another round of testing could alter the integrity of the phone, which, he said, had been placed on flight mode to prevent tampering.

“The implication of their request,” he argued, “is that Exhibit E may be altered; the data could auto-sync and affect the integrity of the evidence.”

The prosecution maintained that it remained open to transparent examination—provided proper forensic standards were followed.

Defence lawyers Ojo and Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN), representing the second defendant Henry Omoile, urged the court to suspend further proceedings until the analysis was completed, insisting the WhatsApp chats were central to their defence.

Justice Oshodi, while acknowledging their concerns, directed the EFCC to submit its forensic report within 24 hours but allowed its witness, Alvan Gurumnaan, an EFCC operative, to continue his testimony.

Gurumnaan told the court that investigations had uncovered multiple cash deliveries allegedly linked to Emefiele and his associates, based on WhatsApp messages and testimonies from CBN and Zenith Bank staff. He presented 27 chat records (Exhibits P1–P27) documenting large foreign currency transactions coordinated through intermediaries.

The court adjourned the trial to 8 and 9 October 2025 for continuation.