The trial of former Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano continued on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja with two prosecution witnesses disclosing how they supplied the ex-governor cash in both naira and dollar through his proxies.
Obiano, who served as Anambra State Governor between March 17, 2014, and March 17, 2022, is facing prosecution by the EFCC on nine-count charges of embezzlement and money laundering to the tune of N4 billion.
One of the prosecution witnesses, Ugochukwu Chinedu, told the court that he usually delivered cash in both naira and dollars to Obiano in line with the instructions given to him by Willie Nwokoye and Theophilus Meize, Obiano’s former principal secretary and accountant at the state Government’s House, respectively, who were signatories to the security votes account.
Chinedu, a former banker between November 2, 2008, and March 26, 2023, who was the account manager of the Anambra State Government accounts, including the state’s security vote account, said: “I usually processed transactions with the principal secretary, either daily or weekly, mostly using the instruments of cheques. I will go to his office on Fridays to balance the account.
“All the transactions I carried out were usually based on the instructions given to him by the account holders.
“Sometime around July 2021, I was called by the compliance officer that they received an invitation from EFCC regarding an ongoing investigation into the administration of the Anambra State Government security votes’ account.
N4bn fraud: Court orders ex-Governor Obiano to face trial
“In the course of the investigation, I was asked to provide details into some other accounts that I managed which included Udo Ventures Limited, Moment of Peace Limited, Easy Diamond Integrated Links Limited, C.I Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited, Xpressive Consult Nig. Limited, among others.”
Documents relating to those accounts were tendered and admitted in evidence.
Also speaking, Hayatu Hassan, a businessman and prosecution witness, who operates five Bureau de Change companies, disclosed that he made a total sum of N222,371,000 available in dollar equivalent to the Anambra State Government under Obiano.
The witness said: “Sometimes last year, I was invited by the EFCC Abuja Office and I was asked if I had any business with the Anambra State Government and I said no.
“Then, the person interviewing me showed me that my company Commaught International Services Limited has done some transactions with the state government. He showed me some payments in seven transactions that were done in my Commaught account.
“Two different transactions were in February 2018, about N172,371,000 and it was for $465,000. The other one was in March 2018 for N50 million and it was for $135,000, making a total of $600,000 and naira equivalent of N222,371,000.
“I sold the dollar to Ayuba Tanko, another BDC operator. As soon as the transaction was done, I handed over the dollar to Ayuba Tanko. I didn’t know it was from the Anambra State Government.”
The presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, thereafter, adjourned the matter till October 7, 8, 9, and 10 for the continuation of trial.
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