By Francesca Hangeior
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has given details of how immediate past Anambra Governor Willie Obiano allegedly laundered about N4bn from the security votes account, using state officials.
The EFCC said it was about to conclude its full investigation of Obiano’s tenure from 2014 to 2022 outside his disbursement of the state’s security votes.
The anti-graft agency said these in its counter affidavit to a motion by Obiano, questioning the competence of a money laundering charge filed against him by the EFCC before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Obiano is also challenging the jurisdiction of the court to try the charge on which he was arraigned on January 24.
In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/15/2024, the prosecution alleged that while in office between March 2014 and March 2022 Obiano indirectly transferred funds from Anambra State Government’s security vote account, which he deployed for purposes not related to security problems in the state.
In the counter affidavit, the EFCC said investigation relating to the utilization of the security votes account of the Government of Anambra State under Obiano revealed that he allegedly used some state government officials, including his Principal Private Secretary, Willie Nwokoye, one Otubetu Ugochukwu Chinedu and “one Uzuegbuna Okoagbue, whom he appointed as his Chief Protocol Officer/Deputy Chief of Staff upon becoming Governor and other individuals to launder funds for the defendant.
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“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 even individual accounts, the monies converted into United State dollars and collected in cash and handed over to the defendant by the said Chief Protocol Officer/Deputy Chief of Staff, Uzuegbuna Okoagbue, which the defendant claimed was for his strategic security engagements, without evidence to that effect.
“Investigation revealed that though the Anambra State Government maintained dollar domiciliary account with Fidelity Bank, the defendant as Chief Accounting Officer/Chief Security Officer, preferred to use accounts of individuals, companies/enterprises with no business transactions with the state goverment for the sole purpose of laundering the funds.
“Instances abounds, as borne by counts four to nine of the charge where, at the instruction of the defendant, funds from the security vote account of Anambra State were transferred to accounts of some companies and enterprises, who had no business transactions with Anambra State Government, the funds converted to United State dollars in cash and handed over the defendant, who stated in his extra-judicial statement that the funds were for his strategic security engagement, which investigation proved otherwise.”
The EFCC also faulted Obiano’s contention that he could not be held accountable for the infractions of some Anambra officials.
The commission argued that such contention was strange and self-indicting because as Anambra Governor, he “ought to have taken action against the people who withdrew funds belonging to Anambra State and handed the funds to him, if their action was without his authority and illegal.”
At the mention of the case on Wednesday, Obiano’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) prayed the court to grant the reliefs sought by his client.
Lawyer to the EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) prayed the court to dismiss the motion, arguing that it is unmeritorious.
Tahir argued that, as against Obiano’s contention, security votes could be investigated when misappropriated.
He argued that the court has the jurisdiction to try the case, adding: “Security votes are like any other funds when misappropriated it can be accounted for.”
Justice Inyang Ekwo has however, adjourned till April 18 for ruling.