Former Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano to Face Money Laundering Charges in Federal High Court
By Hassan Shaibu Ogbadu
In a recent development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced the arraignment of the immediate-past governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano Maduabuchi. Scheduled for Wednesday, January 24, the proceedings will take place before Justice Inyang Ekwo at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
This move by the EFCC follows the chairman’s commitment to reviewing abandoned high-profile cases, with a particular focus on those involving former Governors and Ministers. Sources within the EFCC disclosed that Obiano is facing charges related to alleged money laundering amounting to N4 billion.
The investigation revealed that Obiano allegedly transferred significant sums from security votes, totaling N4,008,573,350, into various accounts. The funds, at different times, were reportedly converted into dollars and returned to Obiano in cash.
Leading the prosecution team is EFCC’s lead counsel, Slyvanus Tahir, SAN, who will be supported by eight other lawyers during the trial.
Among the charges leveled against Obiano is the accusation that, while serving as the executive governor of Anambra State between March 2014 and March 2022, he indirectly transferred funds from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account into accounts of entities unrelated to the state government’s security affairs. The charges allege that these actions constitute offenses under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended in 2012.
The first set of charges specifies transactions totaling N156,800.00 with C.I. Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited, while the second set involves transactions totaling N261,268,585.00 with Easy Diamond Integrated Link. The charges assert that these funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated to the security affairs of Anambra State.
Obiano faces serious legal consequences if found guilty, as the charges carry penalties under Section 15 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended. The court proceedings are anticipated to shed light on the alleged financial misconduct during Obiano’s tenure as governor.