Victor Onyejiuwa, a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has admitted in court that he gave bribes to John Ayoh, a director in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and not the apex bank’s former governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Onyejiuwa, who made the admittance at the continuation of the cross examination by Emefiele’s counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo, said he was aware that what he did was in breach of the laws of Nigeria.
Asked if he knew the implications of perjury, Onyejiuwa assented and confirmed that he received an invitation from Ayoh to come along with him to the EFCC to provide details about the money he paid to him in 2018.
Onyejiuwa also said he paid Ayoh because he wanted to be paid his money after completing the contract, admitting further upon cross examination that after receiving his payment in December 2018 he could have reported the act of bribery to the police, the EFCC and the ICPC.
The witness admitted that although he knew that he could have reported the act to the law enforcement agencies, he indeed did not report the action but chose to join Ayoh at the EFCC in May 2024 to report the bribery.
Onyejuiwa was asked by Ojo, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), if he wrote in his witness statement that the management staff of the CBN he referred to as demanding the bribe was Emefiele but he answered that it was not Emefiele he was referring to in his statement.
Emefiele’s counsel also asked Onyejiuwa whether he wrote any letter to the CBN demanding the payment of contracts proceeds for jobs done, complaining about the delay in payment.
In response to Ojo, Onyejiuwa confirmed that he only interacted with Ayoh and all contracts awarded were signed by Ayoh.
Asked if Emefiele directly requested for money from him, Onyejiuwa replied in the negative and confirmed that he never, in the course of his transactions in the CBN, met or spoke with Emefiele.
Asked whether he executed more jobs at the CBN after Ayoh retired from the apex bank, the EFCC witness said he executed more jobs at CBN and was paid in due time without any demand for gratification from anyone in the CBN despite the fact that Emefiele was still the governor of the CBN at that time.
The witness finally confirmed that he did not show the EFCC any communication between Ayoh and Emefiele where the former CBN governor made any demands for bribes in respect of any contracts awarded.
