THE Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced a former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, to 72 years in prison over N868.46 million he laundered.
A statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday March 23, said the commission secured the conviction after prosecuting the convict on a nine-count amended charge bordering on the alleged diversion and laundering of funds traced to the Federal Ministry of Defence.
James Omotosho, while delivering the judgment, found Nwabuoku guilty after evaluating testimonies from prosecution witnesses and documentary evidence that detailed how funds moved through multiple company accounts before being withdrawn in cash and allegedly channeled to various uses linked to the defendant.
“The former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, who was prosecuted by the EFCC at the Federal High Court, Abuja, for money laundering involving N868.46 million has been convicted and sentenced to jail for 72years,” the EFCC.
The judge held that the commission had been able to prove the nine-count money laundering charge beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge further noted the testimony pf the ninth prosecution witness who said Nwabuoku voluntarily refunded over ₦200 million, being part of the diverted funds during the investigation. The claim was not challenged by the defence.
Nwabuoku was consequently convicted in all nine counts and sentenced to eight years imprisonment in each of the counts, making 72 years, with the counts expected to run concurrently.
Backstory
The ICIR reported that the EFCC prosecuted Nwabuoku on a nine-count amended charge, bordering on money laundering to the tune of N868, 465,000.
The trial revealed that the funds were transferred from the Ministry of Defence into accounts belonging to private companies, including Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited.
Witnesses told the court that the accounts were created within a structure connected to defence transactions and that subsequent withdrawals were carried out in cash.
Investigators from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) testified that intelligence received from the Ministry of Defence triggered an inquiry into suspicious transactions.
According to them, their analysis of bank records and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) documents showed inflows from the ministry into the companies’ accounts, followed by rapid withdrawals and further transfers across other entities.
They further told the court that some individuals involved in handling the funds acted on instructions traced back to the defendant, while cash withdrawals were reportedly routed through intermediaries before being deposited into additional accounts linked to other companies.
In earlier proceedings, the ICPC investigator detailed how the team invited key persons connected to the transactions, including ministry officials and account handlers, who provided statements indicating that the transfers were carried out under directives from the defendant in his capacity as Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Defence.
The prosecution also tendered multiple exhibits, including responses from banks, CAC records, and correspondence from relevant government agencies. These documents were used to establish the movement of funds, the identities linked to the beneficiary companies, and the flow of transactions across accounts.
During the trial, evidence further indicated that portions of the funds were associated with asset acquisitions, including properties, which the prosecution argued were proceeds of unlawful activity.
The court was also presented with prior statements in which Nwabuoku reportedly acknowledged that funds were transferred to private companies for what he described as ‘classified’ security purposes.
However, the prosecution challenged the explanation, arguing that no verifiable documentation was provided to justify the transactions as legitimate security expenditures.
He was first arraigned on January 15, 2025.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M