Court Admits Newspaper Reports as Evidence in Emefiele’s Naira Redesign Trial

ByNewsmakers

May 11, 2026 #Godwin Emefiele trial, #Naira Redesign

Godwin Emefiele

Matilda Omonaiye/

The trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, over the controversial redesign of the naira took a fresh turn today as the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, admitted several newspaper publications as evidence against him.

Justice Maryanne Anineh admitted the exhibits during proceedings in the ongoing prosecution of Emefiele by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations bordering on the unlawful printing and redesign of the naira.

The exhibits, tendered by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, included certified copies of reports published by The Punch, ThisDay, Vanguard, Daily Sun and The Nation newspapers, alongside payment receipts for the purchase of the publications.

The prosecution presented the documents through the eighth prosecution witness, Jegede Oluwasegun, an official of the National Library, who testified that his official responsibility includes attending to readers’ information requests and certifying newspaper documents.

Oyedepo told the court that the presentation of the witness and documents followed a motion filed by the defence on March 31, 2026, requesting the prosecution to produce all press releases and newspaper publications relating to the alleged unlawful naira redesign.

Notably, the defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, did not object to the admission of the documents in evidence.

Customers locked out of Zenith Bank on Oba Akran Way, Ikeja, due to the crisis caused by Emefiele’s Naira redesign.

During cross-examination, the witness clarified that he was neither the author of the newspaper reports nor in a position to comment on their contents, stressing that his role was limited strictly to certification of newspaper publications.

Emefiele is facing a four-count charge filed by the EFCC over the alleged unlawful printing of new naira notes during his tenure as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The case has continued to attract national attention amid lingering debates over the controversial naira redesign policy and its economic implications across the country.