Emefiele turned collection of bribes to a normal way of the apex bank procurement process,I Collected $600,000 For Him — Ex-CBN Director Tells Court.

Godwin Emefiele,ex CBN  governor. 

A former Director of Information Technology of the Central Bank of Nigeria, John Ayoh, has accused former governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele of always collecting bribes before he awarded any contracts during his tenure. 

Ayoh, who is the second prosecution witness in a trial before Justice Rahman Oshodi of Lagos High Court Sitting in Ikeja insisted that Emefiele turned collection of bribes to a normal way of the apex bank procurement process. 

Ayoh said, “That is how he operates, he will not award contracts without collecting anything”.

While being led in evidence by Counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the witness described how he collected funds on behalf of the former CBN Governor. 

He stated that the first money he collected was $400,000 from Emefiele's aide, John Adetola, who came to his house in Lekki to collect it for him.

Ayoh also informed the court that the second money he received for Emefiele was $200,000, which was brought by one of the CBN contractors to the bank's headquarters at its Tinubu Lagos Island office. 

He stated that the money was in an envelope, and when the person who came to deliver the funds, Victor, arrived at the Bank, he (Ayoh) phoned the governor (Emefiele), who instructed him to collect the money from the vendor because he did not want to see any third party.

Ayoh said when he went into the office to deliver the package after collecting it, he saw several Bank CEOs including the late Hebert Wigwe, who were waiting outside the office of the governor to see him.

While answering questions under cross-examination from Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olalekan Ojo, who represented the former CBN Governor, the witness denied that he had ever been a party to any crime, but admitted that he had facilitated the commission of a crime unknowingly. He said, “I believe I did admit in my statement that I was forced to commit the crime

“I don’t know the exact word I used in my statement, but I said we were all forced with tremendous pressure to bend the rules.”

The witness also admitted that he did not write in his statement to the EFCC, that the monies were given to influence the award of contracts but added “that this is how he (Emefiele) operates. He will not award contracts While answering questions under cross-examination from Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olalekan Ojo, who represented the former CBN Governor, the witness denied that he had ever been a party to any crime, but admitted that he had facilitated the commission of a crime unknowingly. He said, “I believe I did admit in my statement that I was forced to commit the crime

“I don’t know the exact word I used in my statement, but I said we were all forced with tremendous pressure to bend the rules.”

The witness also admitted that he did not write in his statement to the EFCC, that the monies were given to influence the award of contracts but added “that this is how he (Emefiele) operates. He will not award contracts without collecting anything"

Before the witness testified, the former CBN governor had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to try him.

Emefiele contended that he cannot be tried in the high court of any state in Nigeria for alleged abuse of his authority since this presents constitutional and legal difficulties. 

The former CBN Governor further stated that counts 1-4 of the 26 charges issued by the EFCC against him are unconstitutional because they are not part of any Nigerian legislation. His counsel requested that the court issue an ORDER to dismiss the accusation against him.

In his application brought pursuant to Sections 36(12), 251 AND 270 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AS AMENDED and Sections 11, 58 AND 60 OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE LAW OF LAGOS STATE, Emefiele had also submitted that the CBN is an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Federal High Court has the jurisdiction to the exclusion of other Courts in matters concerning alleged abuse of office by a public officer in a Federal Government agency.

He also stated that none of the elements of the offences he is alleged to have committed occurred or took place in Lagos State having regard to the materials in the Proof of Evidence.