Ex-Anambra Gov, Willie Obiano faces trial over N4 billion security vote

• The EFCC plans to slam him with a nine-count charge principally bordering on money laundering and diversion of public funds

Barely two years after handing over the mantle of leadership as the governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano will be facing trial as a common person before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday.

Obiono, who handed over power to Prof Charles Soludo on March 17, 2022 at a controversial ceremony occasioned by the slapping of his wife, will be formally arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the allegation that he laundered Anambra State money to the tune of N4,008,573,350.

For that reason, the EFCC plans to slam him with a nine-count charge principally bordering on money laundering and diversion of public funds.

An impeccable source revealed, “We found that Obiano moved N4,008,573,350 from security votes into different accounts. The money at various times was changed into dollars and returned to Obiano by cash.”

EFCC’s lead counsel, Slyvanus Tahir, SAN, will lead eight other lawyers in the trial of the former governor

One of the charges, which the EFCC is slamming on Obiano before the court 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.

Another charge reads: “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.”

It will be recalled that the former governor was first arrested at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on March 17, 2022, as he was preparing to board a flight to Houston, the United States of America, a few hours after handing over to Prof Soludo in Awka.

Although he managed to slip away from EFCC operatives, who had been keeping watch over him in the dying days of his administration, Obiano was eventually reported to the EFCC and was granted administrative bail in 2022 after which he returned to the United States where he was residing before becoming governor of the state.

“Obiano was arrested for alleged misappropriation of public funds, including, N5 billion Sure-P and N37 billion security vote which was withdrawn in cash. Part of the funds was also allegedly diverted to finance political activities in the state,” EFCC had noted at the time.