Emefiele: Witness Claims $600,000 Bribe Paid to CBN in Court Testimony

Emefiele, along with Herry Omoile, faced the court on charges of gratification acceptance, agent-mediated gift acceptance, corruption, and fraudulent property receipt.

During the trial of ex-Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, a prosecution witness, Victor Onyejiuwa, informed the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja on Friday that he transferred a $600,000 bribe to the CBN management via John Ayoh, a former CBN director.

Onyejiuwa, a CBN contractor, clarified to the judge that his interactions with Emefiele and the bank's management team were indirect.

He alleged that a $600,000 payment to the CBN management was required to settle his completed contract with the bank, and under considerable pressure from Ayoh, he complied.

Emefiele, along with Herry Omoile, faced the court on charges of gratification acceptance, agent-mediated gift acceptance, corruption, and fraudulent property receipt.

The anti-corruption agency charged Emefiele with granting undue benefits to associates, violating the Corrupt Practices Act 2000.

Both defendants entered a plea of not guilty.

Emefiele’s attorney, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), cross-examined Onyejiuwa, who stated his communications with Ayoh were exclusively through WhatsApp.

Onyejiuwa recounted two payments to Ayoh: $400,000 in Lagos and $200,000 in Abuja, as demanded by the bank's management to secure payment for his contract.

He testified to not receiving any CBN management authorization to pay a bribe for his company's awarded contract.

Ayoh, according to Onyejiuwa, signed off on the contract award and completion documents.

He disclosed, “My company's first contract was valued at N1.3 billion, and the second at $2.1 million.”

Post-Ayoh's CBN departure, Onyejiuwa received additional contracts from the bank, which were fulfilled without bribe requests and timely payments.

He affirmed, “A subsequent contract with CBN involved no bribe demands, and payment was promptly made.”

In response to Ojo's inquiry about the bribe's recipient, Onyejiuwa indicated it was Ayoh in his office, with an IT department official signing off post-payment.

The trial is set to resume on July 9, as decided by Justice Rahman Oshodi.

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