Court Grants Willie Obiano Bail After EFCC Arraignment Over N4 billion Fraud

Court has granted Willie Obiano bail after EFCC arraignment over alleged N4 billion fraud.

 

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Willie Obiano, the former Governor of Anambra, has been granted bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja after facing a nine-count charge of allegedly laundering approximately N4 billion.

 

This Nigeria news platform understands that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Willie Obiano, the ex-governor of Anambra state, accusing him of involvement in a N4 billion fraud. 

 

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The former governor appeared Judge Inyang Ekwo at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday. 

 

The anti-graft agency accused  Obiano on nine counts of alleged N4 billion money laundering during his time as governor of the South-East state from March 2014 to March 2022. 

 

Meanwhile, NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the ex-governor denied the money laundering charges against him by pleading not guilty. 

 

Sylvanus Tahir, the counsel for the EFCC, asked the court to detain Obiano in the custody of the anti-graft agency. 

 

However, judge Ekwo granted the former governor bail and adjourned the case till March 4 for the commencement of trial. 

According to Tahir, some of the charges brought against include alleged money laundering, corruption and theft, among others. 

The case file reads,  “That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 – March 2022, sometime between 7th February, 2018 to 18th February, 2019 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N156,800.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account No: 5030050875 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Pic into the Fidelity Bank Ple Account No: 6060018819 belonging to C.I. Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act. 

 

“That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 — March 2022, sometime between 9th August, 2017 to 4th March, 2020 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N261,268,585.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account No: 5030050875 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc into the Fidelity Bank Plc Account No: 5600062873 belonging to Easy Diamond Integrated Link (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.” 

 

Meanwhile, NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the former governor pleaded not guilty to all the charges.