The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has introduced a weekly capacity-building programme in Enugu designed to sharpen the investigative and prosecutorial skills of its officers, with a particular focus on complex financial crimes.

The initiative, driven by EFCC Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede, centres on the proper handling of documentary evidence, from the point of creation and collection to its presentation in court. The training is anchored on the provisions of the Evidence Act 2011, which governs how documents are admitted and weighed in Nigerian courts.

Leading one of the sessions, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Okoli Chidiebere Anosike of the Legal and Prosecution Department, Enugu Zonal Directorate, underscored that the strength of any financial crime case often rests on the quality of its documents.

He reminded participants that the burden of proof in criminal proceedings lies with the prosecution and is discharged primarily through oral testimony and documentary evidence. He defined documentary evidence broadly as any material that records information through letters, figures, marks or other means, including books, maps, photographs, films and computer-generated records.

Drawing from Section 258 of the Evidence Act, Anosike explained that any medium capable of conveying information for the purpose of recording can qualify as a document. He further clarified the legal distinction between public and private documents, noting that official records from the legislature, judiciary and executive arms of government are public, while documents originating from individuals or private entities are private unless they enter government custody.

Anosike also addressed the sensitive area of extrajudicial statements, stressing that statements obtained outside a courtroom must comply strictly with constitutional and statutory safeguards. Suspects, he said, must be cautioned about their right to remain silent and the possible use of their words in evidence. To minimise disputes over voluntariness, the EFCC now routinely video-records statement-taking sessions and encourages the presence of defence counsel.

On admissibility, he told participants that documents must be relevant, recognised by law and properly introduced through competent witnesses. Primary evidence, such as original documents, is preferred, while secondary evidence like photocopies or digital copies requires a solid legal foundation before acceptance.

He added that in criminal trials, documents must be attached to the proof of evidence and directly linked to the charges, otherwise courts are likely to reject them. The training, he said, is part of a broader EFCC strategy to deepen staff expertise, improve case management and secure convictions grounded in rigorous, evidence-based investigations.