Emefiele’s trial: I was forced to give $600,000 bribe for contract payment – Witness

A prosecution witness in the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele yesterday told the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja that he was forced to part with $600,000 (N216 million at the time) before being paid for a contract he handled for the apex bank.

Managing Director of Resource Computer Limited, Victor Onyejiuwa, was led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), reports The Nation.

Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are facing trial on a 26-count charge before Justice Rahman Oshodi.

The former CBN governor and Omoile pleaded not guilty to charges of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud.

Onyejiuwa said his company deploys hardware and software-tailored security, network, storage and backup solutions.

He said the firm also offers data protection and recovery, virtualisation, data centre solutions, ICT training and education services.

Onyejiuwa told the court that his company provided information and communication technologies assistance to CBN between 2014 and 2019.

The witness said his company was awarded at least five contracts.

He added that sometime in 2017, Resource Computer was awarded an “enterprise storage and servers” contract by the CBN.

The witness said after the contract was executed, he was approached by a senior CBN official who told him that if he did not pay certain sums, he would not be paid.

“The official said there was pressure on him.

“I told him that our payment was being delayed.

“He told me that if I didn’t accede to his request, my payment would not be approved.

“After several back and forth, for him to see reasons with me as to why I needed to get paid, and my obligations with my partners, I succumbed to his pressure.

“I was able to organise the sum of $400,000 and $200,000 to facilitate payment of the contract funds.

“Within two or three weeks after, payment was made. That is what happened,” the witness said.

Asked to mention the amount that was allocated for the contracts executed for the CBN, he said that the highest contract sum was $1.2 billion between 2017 and late 2018 when the naira traded at N360/$1.

He also told the court that there were other small payments of N24 million and N17 million.

Onyejiuwa said he was made to understand that if he did not part with the sum, he would not get his payment.

The defence counsel could not cross-examine the witness as it was already 4:30 p.m.

Justice Oshodi admitted in evidence bundles of documents presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the case by another witness.

The bundles were tendered through the third prosecution witness, a bank compliance officer, Clement Ngolu.

Ngolu said his department ensures that the bank activities are in line with regulations.

The witness said sometime in 2014, his department got a request from EFCC to furnish it with statements of accounts of Limelight (named in the charge) and two others.

Justice Oshodi adjourned till May 17 for the continuation of the trial.