Ex-governor Willie Obaino
Deferring any last-minute change of plans, on Wednesday, January 24, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is scheduled to arraign the immediate-past governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The charges pertain to alleged money laundering amounting to N4,008,573,350.
According to Leadership, the anti-graft agency has outlined nine count charges against the ex-governor, who is accused of transferring the mentioned sum from security votes into various accounts. The funds, at different times, were purportedly converted into dollars and returned to Obiano in cash.
The lead counsel for EFCC, Slyvanus Tahir, SAN, along with eight other lawyers, will lead the trial of the former governor.
Some of the charges include:
- Indirectly transferring N156,800.00 from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account to an entity unrelated to the government’s security affairs.
- Indirectly transferring N261,268,585.00 from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account to another entity unrelated to the government’s security affairs.
Recall that the ex-governor was initially arrested at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on March 17, 2022, as he was about to board a flight to Houston, the United States. This arrest occurred at about 8:30 pm, shortly after he left office, losing his immunity from arrest and prosecution.
Obiano had been on the EFCC’s watchlist for some time before his eventual arrest on corruption allegations, which included the misappropriation of public funds, including N5 billion Sure-P and N37 billion security vote, some of which were allegedly withdrawn in cash and diverted to finance political activities in the state.