Wale Igbintade
Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court in Lagos has refused to recuse himself from the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, stating that the allegations of bias are unsubstantiated.
Emefiele, through his lead counsel, Olalekan Ojo SAN, had requested that Justice Oshodi step down, citing alleged bias in the trial. Ojo also accused the judge of permitting a leading question that the defense had previously objected to.
In his ruling on whether to recuse himself, Justice Oshodi dismissed the allegation, stating that the claims of bias had not been substantiated by either of the defendants.
Citing a range of legal authorities, the court held that judicial bias alone is not sufficient grounds for recusal; it must be personal or based on judicial reasoning.
Details shortly..
