In the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, a witness, Victor Onyejiuwa, has testified against him over alleged abuse of office and acceptance of gratification totaling $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.

Onyejiuwa, the Managing Director of The Source Computers Limited, claimed he was pressured by CBN management to pay $600,000 for a contract he had executed.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tendered additional documents against Emefiele on Thursday, which were admitted into evidence without objection from the defense.

The bundles of documents were tendered through the third prosecution witness, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, Mr Clement Ngolu, by EFCC Counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the original copies of Zenith Bank account opening package and statement of accounts of Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd.

Ngolu’s testimony revealed that in 2014, the EFCC requested statements of accounts, which were duly provided by Zenith Bank.

“The documents we sent to EFCC was duly signed by staff of the bank.

“The process of generating the statement was through our computer system which was in good condition as at the time.

“The documents were printed out from the company’s computer which was working well and the documents are in the bank’s custody,” the witness said.

The defense did not cross-examine Ngolu.

Subsequently, the prosecution called its fourth witness, an IT contractor, who corroborated Onyejiuwa’s claim of being pressured by CBN management to pay $600,000 for a contract.

The witness said his company was awarded at least five contracts within the stipulated period.

He added that sometime in 2017, his company was awarded an “enterprise storage and servers” contract by the CBN.

He alleged that John Ikechukwu Ayoh, a former CBN director, approached him, indicating that the management required benefits from the contract, implying the funds would be diverted otherwise.

Ayoh, the second prosecution witness, affirmed in his testimony that he collected $600,000 as contract gratification on behalf of Emefiele, alleging marginalization by the former CBN governor.

In his testimony on Thursday, the witness claimed that he was sidelined by the former CBN governor.

According to him: “I was not happy being unpopular with the former CBN governor but on a number of occasions, I signed contract letters to vendors.

“While I was a director with the CBN, my loyalty was to the bank and the Nigerian nation and my relationship with Emefiele was only formal and based on instructions.

“The governor and the four deputy governors of the bank alongside the directors makes up the management of the CBN”, he testified.

EFCC had on April 8 arraigned Emefiele on a 23-count charge bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained and conferring corrupt advantage, while his co-defendant was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on acceptance of gift by agents.

Emefiele and his co-defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them.

The trial is scheduled to continue on May 17th.