A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Victor Onyejiuwa, has admitted that he gave bribes to John Ayo, a Director in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and not the former Governor of the apex, Godwin Emefiele.
Onyejiuwa, who made the admission at the continuation of the cross examination by Emefiele’s counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), said he knew fully that what he did was in breach of the Law of Nigeria.
The witness was also asked if he knew the implications of telling lies to the court, he assented and confirmed that he received invitation from Ayoh to come along with him to 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 a contract for the CBN, admitting further upon cross examination that after receiving his payment in December 2018, he could have reported the act of bribery to the Police, EFCC and 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 to the enforcement agencies but chose to join Ayoh at the EFCC in May 2024 to report the bribery.
Onyejuiwa was asked by Ojo (SAN) if he wrote in his witness statement that the Management of the CBN he referred to as demanding the bribe was Godwin Emefiele but he responded in the negative
The Counsel to Emefiele also asked Onyejiuwa whether he wrote any letter to the CBN demanding the payment of contract proceeds for jobs done complaining about the delay in payment.
In response to Ojo, the EFCC witness confirmed that he only interacted with John Ayoh and all contracts awarded were signed by Ayoh.
Asked if Emefiele directly requested for money from him as pre-condition for the payment of his contract fees, but he answered in the negative (no) and confirmed that he never (at any time) in the course of his transactions with CBN ever met or spoke with Emefiele.
Asked whether he executed more jobs at the CBN after Ayoh retired from CBN, the witness said he executed more jobs at CBN and was paid in due time without any demand for gratification from anyone in CBN despite the fact that Emefiele was still the Governor of the apex Bank 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 demand for bribes in respect of any contracts awarded to him.
