Abuja: The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday fixed Nov 13 for ruling on a no-case submission filed by former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGoF), Anamekwe Nwabuoku.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Nwabuoku with money laundering to the tune of N868 million.
Justice James Omotosho fixed the date after counsel for Nwabuoku, Harrison Quakers, and Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, the lawyer to the Economic EFCC, adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the application.
Earlier, Quakers argued that the evidence presented by the EFCC lawyer and the exhibits tendered before the court were insufficient to establish a prima facie case against their client.
However, Iheanacho disagreed with the Quakers’ submission.
The senior lawyer prayed the court to dismiss Nwabuoku’s no-case submission and ordered him to open his defence.
He argued that, contrary to the submission, the evidence presented so far, through the nine witnesses presented by the prosecution and the exhibits tendered, had established a prima facie case, warranting the defendant to present his defence.
Nwabuoku was admitted to a N500 million bail with two sureties in the like sum after he was arraigned on Jan 15 on a nine-count amended charge.
The EFCC, in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024, listed Nwabuoku as the sole defendant.
In count one of the charge filed on Nov 27, 2024, the EFCC alleged that Nnabuoku, alongside Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), Turge Global Investment Limited (at large), Laptev Bridge Limited, Arafura Transnational Afro Limited (at large) and other persons (all at large) conspired to convert funds.
The funds were reportedly the proceeds of unlawful activities.
The anti-graft agency stated that the offence was contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012), and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same act.
Nwabuoku was alleged to have committed the act while serving as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
Nwabuoku was later appointed Acting AGoF on May 20, 2022, under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, after Ahmed Idris was suspended as AGoF over allegations of N80 billion fraud.
He was, however, removed in July 2022, a few weeks after assuming office.
Sylva Okolieaboh, a Director at the Treasury Single Account (TSA) Department, replaced Nwabuoku as acting AGoF.
Okolieaboh’s appointment followed a report that Nwabuoku was under the radar of EFCC over corruption allegations.
On Jan 31, 2025, the first prosecution witness (PW-1), Eucharia Ezeodi, a staff member of Zenith Bank Plc and a director in the federal civil service, and PW-2, Felix Nweke, a director, gave their testimonies against the defendant.
The anti-graft agency, however, closed its case after calling nine witnesses to establish its case against Nwabuoku.
