Witness Alleges Former CBN Governor Emefiele Received $600,000 Kickback as he Challenges Court's Jurisdiction to Hear Case

A witness has claimed that former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele received a $600,000 kickback for awarding a contract during his tenure.

The allegation emerged as Emefiele challenged the jurisdiction of the Lagos State Special Offences Court to hear the abuse of office and multi-billion dollar fraud case against the ex-CBN governor.

John Ayoh, a former Director of Information Technology at the CBN, testified that he received a total of $600,000 in two separate installments on behalf of Emefiele as gratification for awarding a contract.

Ayoh claimed that he collected $400,000 at Emefiele's Lekki home and another $200,000 at the CBN's Tinubu Head Office, which he then handed over to Emefiele's personal assistant. The witness alleged that he was under duress when receiving the envelopes containing the cash from the contractors, as he testified in court.

Emefiele's lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, argued that the court lacks the constitutional jurisprudence to hear the charges against his client. Ojo contended that Emefiele cannot be prosecuted in the high court of any state in Nigeria for alleged acts of abuse of office, as this raises issues of constitutionality and legality. The defense counsel further claimed that counts 1-4 of the 26-count charge filed by the EFCC are unconstitutional, as they are not contained in any law in Nigeria.

However, the EFCC's counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, urged the court to dismiss Emefiele's application, stating that it was a tactic to delay justice. Oyedepo cited decided cases of the Supreme Court and urged the trial judge not to defer or prevent the trial on the basis of objections challenging the particulars of the counts of the information.

Why this matters: The allegations against Emefiele and the ongoing legal battle have significant implications for Nigeria's financial sector and the fight against corruption. As the former head of the country's central bank, Emefiele's case highlights the need for transparency and accountability in public office, particularly in institutions tasked with overseeing the nation's monetary policies and financial stability.

The presiding judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, rejected Emefiele's request to discontinue the hearing and deferred the ruling on the preliminary objection to the final judgment stage. The court has ordered the prosecution to call its next witness, as the trial continues.

Emefiele, who was granted another interim bail until the next hearing on May 3, 9, and 17, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. The former CBN governor's counsel requested a fresh interim bail, citing failure to meet previous bail conditions.

Key Takeaways

• Witness claims ex-CBN governor Emefiele received $600k kickback for contract
• Emefiele challenges Lagos court's jurisdiction over abuse of office, fraud case
• Witness testifies he received cash from contractors, handed it to Emefiele's aide
• Emefiele's lawyer argues charges are unconstitutional, EFCC urges dismissal
• Judge rejects Emefiele's request to discontinue, trial to continue on May 3, 9, 17