Justice Abdulrahman Oshodi has been accused of bias by counsels to the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, and asked that he recuses himself from further proceedings.
Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, Olalekan Ojo and Kazeem Gbadamosi, made the allegations on Monday at the trial of the ex-CBN governor.
Following the development, Justice Oshodi has fixed February 26 for ruling on the application asking him to recuse himself.
The lead counsel to Emefiele, Mr. Ojo SAN, in an application, asked the judge to recuse himself from further hearing of the matter on the ground of bias.
During the proceedings and in the course of examination-in-chief by a witness, Adetola John, Justice Oshodi had stated clearly in the open court that the allegation of receiving bribe money has been proven against the erstwhile governor of the CBN.
This was done while the prosecution counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, was leading the witness, Adetola John, in evidence.
The objection of the defence team was based on the fact that such statements from the trial judge when the matter has not been concluded, especially when cross examination had not commenced on the witness clearly showed that the judge has made up his mind to convict the former governor of the CBN.
According to Ojo, “this court has granted an accelerated hearing on this matter but what we are witnessing is an accelerated sentencing.”
Mr. Kazeem Gbadamosi SAN, also vehemently spoke against the continued hearing of the matter by Justice Oshodi on the same ground that having stated that allegation of bribebtaking has been proven against the defendant shows that the defendant is already convicted even before the full hearing of the matter.
He demanded that the judge should step down from further trial.
