BY VICTOR BUORO – A former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Anamekwe Nwabuoku, has begged Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court in Abuja for more time to fully refund the public funds allegedly looted by him and his co-defendant.
Nwabuoku and his co-defendant, Felix Nweke, are facing an 11-count money laundering charge amounting to N1.6 billion preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
Nwabuoku and Nweke, a former Deputy Director in the Ministry of Defence, prayed the Court to halt their arraignment until another date to perfect the refund of the alleged loots.
They are accused of committing the act while Nwabuoku served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
Dated 20th May 2024, the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/24 and filed on May 27 by EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, has Nwabuoku as the first defendant, while Nweke is the second defendant
Nwabuoku was appointed acting AGF on May 20, 2022, under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari after Ahmed Idris was suspended from office over alleged N80 billion fraud.
However, he was removed in July 2022, a few weeks after assuming office following the allegations brought against him by the anti-graft agency.
When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, Nweke’s lawyer, Emeka Onyeaka, informed the court that there was a new development in the case.
He said his client had taken steps towards settling the matter, disclosing that Nweke had made substantial refunds of the money traced to him by the EFCC.
The counsel explained that; “The second defendant has taken steps, as there is a communication to the commission via-a-vs the alleged offences on making a refund.
“The commission is in receipt of the money and promised to communicate to us”.
According to the defence counsel, upon being served with the charge, “We communicated with the Commission and we were asked to tarry for their administrative procedure.”
He said since a substantial amount had been refunded, if his client was arraigned, such action would affect the trial and therefore, prayed the court to grant them an adjournment to take further steps on the administrative procedure.
Maduakolam Igwe, who appeared for Nwabuoku, aligned with Onyeaka’s submission, adding that his client had equally taken the same steps and that a substantial amount had been refunded.
“We have written to the Commission on this. The first defendant has also made some refunds. May I adopt the submission of my learner friend to tidy up the administrative procedure,” Igwe said.
In his response, Ogechi Ujam, who appeared for the EFCC, said though the Commission was in receipt of a proposal letter, “No negotiation has been made, no settlement has been done and no agreement has been reached by parties.”
She further stated thus; “In the circumstances, we urge this honourable court to allow us to arraign the defendants.”
After hearing the parties out, Justice Omotosho adjourned the case till October 14 for arraignment.
The anti-corruption agency is alleging that Nwabuoku, Nweke, Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), Turge Global Investment Limited (at large), Laptev Bridge Limited (at large), Arafura Transnational Afro Limited (at large) and other persons (at large) converted funds which are proceeds of unlawful activities to personal use.
The offence is contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as (amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under Section 15(2) (b) and (3) of the same Act.
In count two, Nwabuoku, Felix, Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), between September 2019 and October, 2020 in Abuja, indirectly converted the sum of N262, 602,897.27 (Two Hundred and Sixty Two Million, Six Hundred and Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira Twenty Seven Kobo).
The money was alleged to have been paid into the Zenith Bank account of Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), with account number: 1016901286, knowing that the funds constituted proceed of unlawful activity.
The EFCC said the offence is contrary to Section 15(2) (b) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012), among other counts.
