WhatsApp Chats Can Stand as Court Evidence if Properly Presented — Lawyer
Legal practitioner Barrister Adesanya Adesegun has reaffirmed that WhatsApp conversations are admissible in court as valid evidence, provided they are correctly prepared to meet legal requirements.
His clarification came after an anonymous individual sought legal guidance on a loan recovery matter, revealing that a debtor who received cash had allegedly refused to repay, insisting there was no written agreement to prove the transaction. The lender explained that all details, including the loan amount, repayment timeline and agreed interest, were contained only in their WhatsApp chat.
Barrister Adesanya explained that digital exchanges and messaging platforms hold legal weight, but many people lose cases because their evidence is not properly presented. He cautioned that screenshots showing only a saved contact name are often insufficient, as the defendant can easily deny ownership of the account.
To strengthen evidence, he advised that the contact be temporarily deleted before taking screenshots so the phone number becomes visible instead of the stored name, after which the contact may be restored. He emphasised that courts favour evidence that clearly connects a message to a specific phone number, making denial difficult.
The lawyer stated that well-documented WhatsApp conversations can establish that money was given, the exact amount, the promise of repayment and any agreed interest — even when the transaction occurred in cash without a written document. He urged the public to take proper steps when documenting digital exchanges, noting that a single screenshot with clear phone identification could determine the outcome of a case.