A former acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Anamekwe Nwabuoku, has pleaded with Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court in Abuja to grant him more time to conclude the refund of public funds allegedly looted by him and his co-defendant, Felix Nweke.
Nwabuoku and Nweke are facing 11 counts of money laundering amounting to N1.6 billion.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the case.
The defendants were accused of committing the acts while Nwabuoku served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/24, dated May 20 and filed on May 27 by EFCC counsel Ekele Iheanacho, lists Nwabuoku as the first defendant and Nweke as the second defendant.
Nwabuoku was appointed acting Accountant-General of the Federation on May 20, 2022, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over an alleged N80 billion fraud.
However, Nwabuoku was removed from his position in July 2022, just a few weeks after assuming office.
During the court session on Wednesday, the defendants requested that their arraignment be postponed to allow them time to complete the refund process.
Nweke’s lawyer, Emeka Onyeaka, informed the court of new developments, stating that his client had taken significant steps towards settling the matter.
He noted that Nweke had already made substantial refunds of the money traced to him by the anti-graft agency.
“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,” Onyeaka said.
He further explained that since a substantial amount had been refunded, arraigning his client could affect the ongoing trial and requested an adjournment to finalize the administrative procedure.
Maduakolam Igwe, representing Nwabuoku, supported Onyeaka’s submission.
He confirmed that Nwabuoku had also taken similar steps, making significant refunds.
“We have written to the commission on this. The first defendant has also made some refunds. May I adopt the submission of my learned friend to tidy up the administrative procedure,” Igwe corroborated.
EFCC counsel, Ogechi Ujam, acknowledged receiving a proposal letter from the defendants but emphasised that no negotiations, settlements, or agreements had been reached.
“In the circumstances, we urge this honourable court to allow us to arraign the defendants,” Ujam stated.
After considering the submissions, Justice Omotosho adjourned the case till October 14 for arraignment, granting the defendants additional time to complete their refunds.
The case continues to draw public attention as it unfolds, reflecting the ongoing efforts to tackle corruption and promote accountability within Nigeria’s public sector.
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