Former Accountant General of The Federation Begs Court for Time To Return N1.6 billion Loot

A former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Anamekwe Nwabuoku, has prayed a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to give him time to refund monies he stole from public coffers.

Nwabuoku on Wednesday when he appeared in court pleaded with the presiding judge, Justice James Omotoso  to give him and his co-accused some time to complete the refund a total of N1.6 billion they were accused of looting while he served as the Director of Finance and Account (DFA) in the Federal Ministry of Defence.

Nwabuoku and his co-defendant, Mr. Felix Nweke are standing trial in suit: FHC/ABJ/CR/240/24 dated May 20 and filed on May 27 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an 11 count charges of money laundering.

According to the EFCC the accused committed the crime between 2019 and 2021 when Nwabuoku served as DFA in Ministry of Defence in collusion with Nweke.

Nwabuoku was appointed the Acting Accountant General of the Federation in on May 20, 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari, but was sacked on July 22, 2022 due to allegations of fraud levelled against him. His appointment came of the heels of the sack of Mr. Ahmed Idriss who was accused of looting public funds to the tune of N80billion. Idris is also currently standing trial on money laundry charges and have since been remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.

When the matter came up on Wednesday, Nwabuoku who is listed as first defendant and Felix Nweke, second defendant, the lawyer to the second defendant, Emeka Onyeka told the court that his client had commenced repayment of the looted funds.

He said:

“The second defendant has taken steps, as there is a communication to the commission via-a-vs the alleged offences on making a refund

“The commission is in receipt of the money and promised to communicate to us.”

“We communicated with the commission and we were asked to tarry for their administrative procedure.”

Corroborating the second defendant’s lawyer, the defence counsel for the former AGF,  Maduakolam Igwe, also told the court that his client had also started repaying the monies he looted.

“We have written to the commission on this. The first defendant has also made some refunds.

“May I adopt the submission of my learner friend to tidy up the administrative procedure,” he told the court.

Responding, the lawyer of the EFCC, Ogechi Ujam acknowledged that the commission has received a proposal letter from the accused but that no agreement had been reached.

“No negotiation has been made, no settlement has been done and no agreement has been reached by parties

“In the circumstances, we urge this honourable court to allow us to arraign the defendants,” the EFCC lawyer said.

After hearing all the parties in the case,  Justice Omotosho adjourned  matter to October 14 for the arraignment of the accused.