During the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, a prosecution witness revealed that he was coerced into paying a $600,000 bribe before receiving payment for a contract he executed for the apex bank. Victor Onyejiuwa, Managing Director of Resource Computer Limited, disclosed this at the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja.
Under the questioning of prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, Onyejiuwa detailed his company’s specialization in providing customized hardware and software solutions for security, networking, storage, and backups.
Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are currently facing a 26-count charge before Justice Rahman Oshodi, to which they have pleaded not guilty, alleging fraud amounting to $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
Onyejiuwa further testified that his company had rendered information and communication technology services to the CBN from 2014 to 2019, and in 2017, Resource Computer was awarded a contract for “enterprise storage and servers” by the CBN.
He said: “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 forths, 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.
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“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 elaborated that the largest contract sum reached $1.2 billion during the period spanning 2017 to late 2018, coinciding with the exchange rate of N360/$1 for the naira.
Furthermore, he informed the court of additional minor payments amounting to N24 million and N17 million.
Upon hearing the testimony, Justice Oshodi scheduled the next trial session for May 17.
