The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, convicted and sentenced Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGoF), to a 72-year jail term without an option of fine.
Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been able to prove the nine-count money laundering charge beyond reasonable doubt.
According to the judge, the defendant is hereby convicted as charged.
Jutsice Omotosho convicted Nwabuoku in all the nine counts and sentenced him to eight years imprisonment in each of the counts, making 72 years.
The judge, however, ordered that the counts shall run concurrently.
Justice Omotosho, who described Nwabuoku’s act of diverting funds meant for security and defence while he served as Director of Finance and Account in the Ministry of Defence as “appalling,” commended the EFCC for being detailed in its prosecution.
The judge observed that the evidence of the 9th prosecution witness that Nwabuoku voluntarily refunded part of the siphoned money of over N200 million during investigation was not controverted by the defence.
Nwabuoku was admitted to a N500 million bail with two sureties in the like sum after he was arraigned on Jan. 15, 2025, on a nine-count amended charge.
The EFCC listed Mr Nwabuoku as the sole defendant in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024, bordering on money laundering to the tune of N868 million.
Nwabuoku was alleged to have perpetrated the act while serving as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku served as the Acting Accountant-General of the Federation for approximately two months, from May 2022 to July 2022.
He was appointed on May 20, 2022, by former President Muhammadu Buhari following the suspension of Ahmed Idris, his predecessor.
Idris Ahmed, the former Accountant-General of Nigeria, is currently facing trial for the alleged misappropriation of over N109 billion in public funds.
He has been charged with 14 counts of stealing and criminal breach of trust by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Idris was arrested on May 16, 2022, by the EFCC after failing to honor repeated invitations to answer for the alleged diversion of funds.
He was subsequently suspended indefinitely from office by the Minister of Finance.
The EFCC alleged that Idris used bogus consultancies and other illegal activities, involving proxies, family members, and close associates, to rake off the funds.
He is accused of compromising the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), and Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) to achieve this.
The stolen funds were allegedly laundered through real estate investments in Abuja and Kano.
The EFCC has traced and secured court orders for the interim forfeiture of several properties, along with almost $900,000 and over N304 million in cash linked to the alleged crimes.
Idris and his co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. His trial is ongoing as of 2025, and he has at times accused the EFCC of withholding some of his confessional statements.
Details later
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