The former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Anamekwe Nwabuoku and one Felix Nweke have said that they have started refunding N1 6 Billion public funds they stole and begged a Federal High Court, Abuja to give them more time to conclude the refund of the total amount .
Nwabuoku and Nweke are facing the 11-count money laundering charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
They asked Justice James Omotosho yesterday, July 10, to suspend their arraignment until another date to perfect the refund.
Nweke’s lawyer, Emeka Onyeaka, told the court that there was a new development in the case, saying that his client had taken steps toward settling the matter.
The lawyer said that Nweke had made substantial refunds of the money traced to him by the anti-graft agency.
“The 2nd defendant has taken steps, as there is a communication to the commission via-a-vs the alleged offences on making refund.
“The commission is in receipt of the money and promised to communicate to us.
“Upon being served with the charge on Monday, we communicated with the commission and we are asked to tarry for their administrative procedure.”
He said that since a substantial amount had been refunded, if his client is arraigned, such action would affect the trial.
He, therefore, prayed the court to grant them an adjournment in order to take further step on the administrative procedure.
Maduakolam Igwe, who appeared for Nwabuoku, aligned with Onyeaka’s submission, saying that his client had equally taken the same steps and that a substantial amount had been refunded.
“We have written to the commission on this. The 1st defendant has also made some refunds.
“May I adopt the submission of my learned friend to tidy up the administrative procedure.”
Counsel who appeared for the EFCC, Ogechi Ujam, acknowledged that though the commission was in receipt of a proposal letter, but that “no negotiation has been made, no settlement has been done and no agreement has been reached by parties.
“In the circumstance, we urge this honourable court to allow us to arraign the defendants.”
However, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to October 14 for arraignment.
Nwabuoku and Nweke, a former Deputy Director in the Ministry of Defence, are being prosecuted for alleged money laundering offences to the tune of N1.6 billion.
While Nwabuoku is the 1st defendant in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/240/24 dated May 20 and filed on May 27 by Ekele Iheanacho, Nweke is the 2nd defendant.
They were alleged to have perpetrated the act while Nwabuoku served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
Nwabuoku was appointed acting AGF on May 20, 2022 under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari after Ahmed Idris was suspended as AGF over alleged N80 billion fraud.
He was, however, removed in July 2022, few weeks after he assumed office.
The EFCC alleged that Nwabuoku, Nweke, Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), Turge Global Investment Limited (at large), Laptev Bridge Limited (at large), Arafura Transnational Afro Limited (at large) and other persons (at large) converted funds which are proceeds of unlawful activities to personal use.
The offence is contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as (amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under Section 15(2) (b) and (3) of the same Act.
In count two, Nwabuoku, Felix, Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), between September 2019 and October, 2020 in Abuja, indirectly converted the sum of N262, 602,897.27 (Two Hundred and Sixty Two Million, Six Hundred and Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety Seven Naira Twenty Seven Kobo).
The money was alleged to have been paid into the Zenith Bank account of Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), with account number: 1016901286, knowing that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activity.
The offence, the EFCC said, is contrary to Section 15(2) (b) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012), among other counts.
Source: The Eagle Online.
