How Emefiele collected $600,000 in bribes from contractors – Witness
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, pressed on with its case against former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.
The EFCC presented a second witness, who was a former director of the Apex Bank, John Ikechukwu Ayoh.
The witness told the court that he took bribes for his former boss, Emefiele, but claimed to have acted under duress.
Under Nigerian anti-corruption law, accepting a bribe or facilitating one is an offence.
The witness said Emefiele usually sends one John Adetona, his personal assistance, to collect the contractors’ kickback from him.
“The first transaction was $400,00 lo0 and the second one was $200,000 in cash. I was in my house when the first envelope was brought to me. His assistant was asked to collect the money,” he told the court.
“One of the vendors had a contract with CBN which involved the implementation of data storage and infrastructure.,” he said.
When asked by Emefiele’s counsel, Olalekan Ojo, how he knew the money was a gratification and whether he stated such in his statement to the EFCC, Ayoh said he implied it in it.
Ojo had drilled Ayoh during a cross examination of the witness. He also got the judge, Rahman Oshodi to extend Emefiele’s interim bail till May 17.
Oshodi ended the proceeding by adjourning till May 3,9, and 17 for continuation of trial.
