Obiano is accused of misappropriating funds from the Anambra State Government’s security vote account during his tenure from March 2014 to March 2022.
By Saidu Idris
365Daily – The trial of former Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, was on Monday stalled due to the absence of the presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo.
Justice Ekwo was recently suspended for one year by the National Judicial Council (NJC) over allegations of judicial misconduct.
Obiano is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges bordering on alleged fraud and money laundering. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/15/2024, accuses him of misappropriating funds from the Anambra State Government’s security vote account during his tenure from March 2014 to March 2022.
In its filings, the EFCC alleged that “Obiano, while serving as Governor, directed the transfer of state funds meant for security purposes to non-official accounts and individuals.”
According to the commission, “investigations revealed that he used government officials and close aides, including his Principal Private Secretary, Willie Nwokoye; one Otubetu Ugochukwu Chinedu; and Uzuegbuna Okoagbue, his Chief Protocol Officer/Deputy Chief of Staff, to launder funds for him.”
One court document stated: “Instances abound, as borne by counts one to three of the charge, where, at the instruction of the defendant, funds from the Anambra State Government security vote were transferred to non-financial institutions and individual accounts.
“These monies were converted into United States dollars and collected in cash, then handed over to the defendant by his Chief Protocol Officer/Deputy Chief of Staff, Uzuegbuna Okoagbue.”
Obiano had claimed the funds were for “strategic security engagements,” but the EFCC said there was no evidence to support that claim.
The EFCC further noted that although Anambra State had a dollar account with Fidelity Bank, Obiano preferred to use private accounts to funnel the funds. “He used accounts of individuals and companies with no business ties to the state government solely to launder funds,” the commission said.
“Counts four to nine of the charge show that, under the defendant’s instruction, funds were transferred to these unrelated accounts, converted to dollars in cash, and handed over to him,” the EFCC added.
The commission also dismissed Obiano’s argument that he could not be held responsible for the actions of state officials. “That argument is not only strange but self-indicting,” the EFCC said.
“As the Executive Governor of Anambra State, he ought to have taken action against those who withdrew state funds and handed them to him—if, indeed, their actions were illegal and unauthorised.”
No new date has been set for the continuation of the trial.