A former acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Anamekwe Nwabuoku, on Wednesday, pleaded with Justice James Omotoso of a Federal High Court in Abuja to give him more time to conclude the refund of the public funds allegedly looted by him and his co-defendant, Felix Nweke. Nwabuoku and Nweke are facing an 11-count money laundering charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charges against Nwabuoku and Nweke, a former Deputy Director in the Ministry of Defence, involve money laundering offences amounting to N1.6 billion. The alleged crimes were committed while Nwabuoku served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence from 2019 to 2021. Nwabuoku is the first defendant in the case, while Nweke is the second defendant. The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/24, was dated May 20 and filed on May 27 by EFCC counsel Ekele Iheanacho.
Nwabuoku was appointed acting Accountant-General of the Federation on May 20, 2022, under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari after Ahmed Idris was suspended as AGF over an alleged N80 billion fraud. However, Nwabuoku was removed from the position in July 2022, only a few weeks after assuming office.
When the matter was called on Wednesday, the defendants requested the court to postpone their arraignment to allow more time to complete the refund process. The defendants were ready to take their plea, but Nweke’s lawyer, Emeka Onyeaka, informed the court of a new development in the case. He stated that his client had taken significant steps towards settling the matter and had made substantial refunds of the money traced to him by the anti-graft agency.
“The second defendant has taken steps, as there is a communication to the commission via-a-vs the alleged offences on making a refund. The commission is in receipt of the money and promised to communicate to us,” Onyeaka said. He added, “Upon being served with the charge on Monday, we communicated with the commission and we were asked to tarry for their administrative procedure.” Onyeaka argued that since a substantial amount had been refunded, arraigning his client at this stage would affect the trial. He therefore requested the court to grant an adjournment to allow for further administrative procedures.
Maduakolam Igwe, representing Nwabuoku, supported Onyeaka’s submission. Igwe stated that his client had also made significant refunds and had communicated this to the commission. “We have written to the commission on this. The first defendant has also made some refunds. May I adopt the submission of my learner friend to tidy up the administrative procedure,” Igwe corroborated.
Responding, EFCC counsel Ogechi Ujam acknowledged that the commission had received a proposal letter. However, she stated, “No negotiation has been made, no settlement has been done and no agreement has been reached by parties.” Ujam urged the court to proceed with arraigning the defendants. Justice Omotosho then decided to adjourn the matter, setting a new date for the arraignment on October 14.
The EFCC alleged that Nwabuoku, Nweke, Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), Turge Global Investment Limited (at large), Laptev Bridge Limited (at large), Arafura Transnational Afro Limited (at large), and other persons (at large) converted funds, which are proceeds of unlawful activities, to personal use. The offence is contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and is punishable under Section 15(2)(b) and (3) of the same Act.
In count two, Nwabuoku, Felix, and Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), between September 2019 and October 2020 in Abuja, allegedly converted N262,602,897.27 (Two Hundred and Sixty-Two Million, Six Hundred and Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety-Seven Naira, Twenty-Seven Kobo) into the Zenith Bank account of Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), account number 1016901286, knowing that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activity. The EFCC stated that this offence is contrary to Section 15(2)(b) and is punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012), among other counts.
