Nigeria, March 18 -- Presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, swept aside objections raised by co-defendant Dauda Suleiman, ruling that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) played by the rulebook in obtaining the disputed statements.

"Consequently, the statements of the defendants are admissible in evidence as they were made voluntarily," the judge ruled.

The decision effectively shut the door on the defendants' claims that the statements were wrung out of them under pressure. Bello and Suleiman had earlier argued that the extra-judicial confessions were extracted under duress, but the court found their claims riddled with holes.

The case, which centres on the alleged laundering of N10 billion belonging to Kogi State, t...