1 month ago
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A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, adjourned the money laundering suit preferred against a former Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission till November 13 for continuation of trial.
The new date was set due to the court’s inability to convene as the trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, was attending a seminar at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja.
Obiano, who was Anambra State governor between March 2014 and March 2022, is facing a nine-count for allegedly defrauding the state to the tune of N4 billion from the state treasury account.
The monies were said to have been stolen from Anambra State security votes account which was converted into dollars and given to the defendant (Obiano) in cash.
Recall that at the previous sitting on June 26, Justice Ekwo adjourned till Monday for the continuation of trial after the EFCC lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, (SAN), led two witnesses in evidence in the trial.
The third prosecution witness, a former commercial bank staffer, Mr Ugochukwu Otubelu, told the court that funds in the Security Vote Account of the Anambra State Government were moved into private companies’ accounts.
Otubelu said he managed the state’s security vote account as an account officer when Obiano was governor.
Otubelu said he was with the bank between November 2, 2008 and March 24, 2023.
He said that the signatories to the security vote account were the former Principal Secretary to the ex-governor, Willy Nwokoye, and the Accountant, Theophilus Nweze.
He said he interfaced with them mostly daily and weekly in processing their transactions.
He also said he knows Obiano and dealt with him on some occasions, as he took cash to him in both naira and dollars.
The witness added that funds from the security votes account went into six companies’ accounts, that weren’t the account holders.
Otubelu identified the private companies as Nazotal Ventures; C. I. Party Ventures Nigeria Limited; Moment of Peace Ventures; Youdoo Ventures and Eazy Diamond Limited.
According to him, the companies were among the entities whose accounts he managed.
The fourth prosecution witness, Hayatu Hadejia, a Bureau De Change operator on his part told the court that he is a businessman, who runs BDC companies.
He said he has five companies and was invited by the EFCC as part of its investigations into the financial activities of the government of ex-governor Obiano.
Hayatu who was cross-examined by Obiano’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), told the court that one of his companies, Connaught Nigeria Limited – received funds from the Anambra State government.
The witness however said he never had any dealings with Obiano.
He said he sold dollars to one Ayuba who asked for his bank account details.
He said when the payment was done, he handed the dollars to Ayuba, but the payment narration said ‘MC Payment’, which means Mangers Cheque Payment.
“That is why I did not know the money was from any state account”, he claimed.
Justice Ekwo discharged him from the witness box and fixed October 7, October 8, October 9 and October 10 for continuation of trial.
