The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will on Wednesday, January 23, 2024, arraign the former Anambra State, governor, Willie Obiano, before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged money laundering to the tune of N4,008,573,350.
The ex-governor will be arraigned on nine count charges.
EFCC said ex-governor Obiano allegedly moved “N4,008, 573, 350 from security votes into different accounts.
According to the commission, the money was moved at various times and was changed into dollars and returned to Obiano in cash.
The Commission’s lead counsel, Slyvanus Tahir, SAN, is expected to go to court with eight other lawyers in the trial of the former governor
Some of the charges read: “That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 – March 2022, sometime between 7th February, 2018 to 18th February, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N156,800.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account No: 5030050875 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Pic into the Fidelity Bank Ple Account No: 6060018819 belonging to C.I. Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.
“That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 — March 2022, sometime between 9th August, 2017 to 4th March, 2020 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N261,268,585.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account No: 5030050875 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc into the Fidelity Bank Plc Account No: 5600062873 belonging to Easy Diamond Integrated Link (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
Unknown to the governor, he was on the EFCC’s watchlist for some time before he was eventually arrested over corruption allegations.
He was eventually arrested at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on March 17, 2022, as he was about to flee aboard a flight to Houston, the United States of America, after the expiration of his eight years tenure.
He was arrested after he left office as governor after loosing his immunity from arrest and prosecution.
According to the EFCC, on his first arrest, “Obiano was arrested for alleged misappropriation of public funds, including, N5 billion Sure-P and N37 billion security vote which was withdrawn in cash. Part of the funds was also allegedly diverted to finance political activities in the state,” EFCC had said then.
