Ex-acting Accountant General, jailed 8 years for fraud
A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, to eight years imprisonment over a N868.46 million fraud. Justice James Omotosho on Monday sentenced Nwabuoku after he was found guilty of alleged money laundering during their tenure as Director of Finance and Accounts in the […]
A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, to eight years imprisonment over a N868.46 million fraud.
Justice James Omotosho on Monday sentenced Nwabuoku after he was found guilty of alleged money laundering during their tenure as Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged Nwabuoku and Felix Nweke on a nine-count charge, which carries eight years jail term each.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Omotosho dismissed the argument of Nwabuoku’s lawyer, Norrison Quakers (SAN) that his confessional statements were inadmissible having not been voluntarily made, which was brought in on appeal and not during the trial.
While reviewing the counts, the judge found that the anti-graft agency had been able to prove all the ingredients essential in each of the counts to convict the defendant.
He noted that the defendant, who was a director of finance at the Federal Ministry of Defence, diverted funds entrusted to him through proxy into portfolio account with Quantum Zenith Securities to buy and trade securities.
“This is a classic example of what money laundering does. It is the putting of dirty money into legitimate business which helps to clean the money,” the judge said.
The EFCC had, on November 27, 2024, alleged that Nwabuoku, 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.