The mini-trial is to determine whether the statements are admissible in the substantive case bordering on an alleged ₦3 billion fraud.
The trial of a former Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, resumed on Tuesday, at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, with a prosecution witness insisting that the defendant made her statements to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) voluntarily and under caution.
The proceedings before Justice James Omotosho entered a trial-within-trial phase following Oyo-Ita’s claim that the statements relied upon by the EFCC were extracted from her under duress.
The mini-trial is to determine whether the statements are admissible in the substantive case bordering on an alleged ₦3 billion fraud.
Testifying as the First Prosecution Witness, EFCC operative Hamma Adama Bello told the court that the former Head of Service wrote her statements freely without intimidation, harassment, or coercion.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel H. M. Mohammed, Bello explained that the commission followed due process while obtaining the statements, adding that Oyo-Ita was properly cautioned and informed of her constitutional rights.
With the permission of the court, the prosecution played a video recording of the statement-taking session.
The witness identified himself, another EFCC officer, Rukkayya, and the first defendant in the footage.
According to Bello, the video clearly showed that Oyo-Ita was “calm and relaxed” throughout the process and displayed no signs of stress or fear.
He further told the court that before writing her statement, the defendant was informed of her right to have a lawyer present and was advised that she could suspend the exercise until her counsel arrived or invite the lawyer to witness the process.
The video evidence was subsequently admitted without objection from the defence.
During cross-examination, counsel for the first, second, and third defendants, Michael Olawale, questioned the witness on whether Oyo-Ita was granted bail by the EFCC and who stood as her surety.
Bello responded that he could not immediately recall the identity of the surety but would remember upon sighting the case file.
Counsel for the seventh defendant, Okechukwu Ajanwa (SAN), also queried whether Bello personally interviewed his client, Ugbong Okon Effiok.
The witness answered in the affirmative but stated that he could not explain why there was no video recording of that particular interview, noting that he was not the only member of the investigative team.
With no further questions from the defence and no re-examination by the prosecution, Justice Omotosho discharged the witness from the dock.
Following the testimony, counsel for Oyo-Ita applied for an adjournment to enable the defence open its case in the trial-within-trial.
The request was granted, and the matter was adjourned to Wednesday, January 21, 2026, for continuation.
Oyo-Ita is being prosecuted alongside her former special assistants, Garba Umar (4th defendant) and Ugbong Okon Effiok (7th defendant), as well as six companies: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Slopes International Limited, U and U Global Services Ltd, Prince Mega Logistics Ltd, and Good Deal Investments.
The defendants are facing an 18-count charge bordering on alleged misappropriation of public funds, official corruption, money laundering, and criminal diversion of government resources amounting to over ₦3 billion.
The EFCC alleges that the funds were siphoned through a network of companies and proxies while Oyo-Ita served as Head of Service.
All the defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.