Alleged N868m fraud: Court rules in ex-AGoF’s no-case submission

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, fixed Nov. 13 for ruling in a no-case submission filed by former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGoF), Anamekwe Nwabuoku.

The Economic and Financia; Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Nwabuoku with money laundering charge to the tune of N868 million.

Justice James Omotosho fixed the date after counsel for Nwabuoku, Harrison Quakers, and lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the application.

Earlier, Quakers argued that all the evidence of the witnesses led by the EFCC lawyer and exhibits tendered before the court were insufficient to establish a prima facie case against his client.

However, Iheanacho disagreed with Quakers’ submission.

The senior lawyer prayed the court to dimiss Nwabuoku’s no-case submission and ordered him to open his defence.

He argued that contrary to the submission, the evidence led so far, through the nine witnesses presented by the prosecution and exhibits tendered, a prima facie case had been established by the commission to warrant the defendant one his defence.

Our correspondent reports that Nwabuoku was admitted to a N500 million bail with two sureties in the like sum after he was arraigned on Jan. 15 on a nine-count amended charge.

The EFCC had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024, listed Nwabuoku as sole defendant.

In count one of the charge filed on Nov. 27, 2024, the EFCC alleged that Nnabuoku, 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.

The funds were said to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The anti-graft agency said the offence was contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as (amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Nwabuoku was alleged to have perpetrated the act while he served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.

Nwabuoku was later appointed acting AGoF on May 20, 2022 under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari after Ahmed Idris was suspended as AGoF over alleged N80 billion fraud.

He was, however, removed in July 2022, few weeks after assumed office.

Sylva Okolieaboh, a Director at the Treasury Single Account (TSA) Department, replaced Nwabuoku as acting AGoF.

Okolieaboh’s appointment followed after report that Nwabuoku was under the radar of EFCC over corruption allegations.

On Jan. 31, 2025, the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1), Eucharia Ezeodi, a Zenith Bank Plc staff, and a director with the federal civil service, Felix Nweke, a PW-2, gave their testimonies against the defendant.

The anti-graft agency, however, closed its case after calling nine witnesses to establish its case against Nwabuoku