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It’s a case that’s been making headlines for months, and on Tuesday, the EFCC finally got its day in court. Former Anambra Governor Willie Obiano faced off against the commission’s prosecutors at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with two witnesses offering explosive testimony about his alleged money laundering activities.
The prosecution’s case against Willie Obiano gained momentum on Tuesday as two witnesses gave damning testimony. Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, a banker with a front-row seat to Obiano’s financial transactions, and Chinwe Patricia Egbunam, a businesswoman who allegedly did business with the former governor, were questioned by EFCC’s lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN). Their revelations left the courtroom spellbound.
Willie Obiano’s legal woes just got a lot worse. The former governor has been slapped with a nine-count charge, accusing him of embezzling a whopping N4 billion from the state treasury. The allegations suggest a brazen disregard for accountability and a betrayal of the public trust.
The courtroom fell silent as Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, the first prosecution witness, began his testimony. As a former bank manager in Awka, Nnadi had a front-row seat to Obiano’s financial transactions. His evidence would be the first domino to fall in the EFCC’s case against the former governor.
Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, the first prosecution witness, explained that his duties as a bank manager included account management and collaboration with anti-corruption agencies.
Unwittingly, he had played a crucial role in uncovering the corrupt activities of Willie Obiano, the former governor who had thought he was above the law.
Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, the bank manager, was summoned by the EFCC to provide evidence on Willie Obiano’s financial activities during his time as governor of Anambra State. Nnadi’s testimony would be a critical piece of the puzzle in the EFCC’s investigation into Obiano’s alleged corruption between March 2014 and March 2022.
“The state government maintains various accounts with our bank, and one of such accounts was for security votes,” the witness said. According to him, there was nothing special about the security vote account.
The bank manager, Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, testified that the accountant general’s office was the main contributor to the account, with the bulk of the funds coming from internally generated revenue (IGR). This information implicated Willie Obiano’s administration in the alleged embezzlement of public funds.
“Payments into the account were made on a weekly basis, and all transactions out of the account were always based on the advice of the account operators.
“The payments we made from the account were made to various entities and corporate organisations, and we supplied documents containing the names of all the beneficiaries to the EFCC,” the witness added.
Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, the bank manager, unexpectedly refused to reveal the names of the beneficiaries of the funds in court, citing his “oath of secrecy”. This decision sparked a heated exchange between Nnadi and the prosecution counsel, Mr. Tahir, who argued that the names were crucial to the case against Willie Obiano.
“Cash withdrawals, manager’s cheques, transfers and drafts were instruments that were used to remove the funds based on instructions from the operators of the accounts.
“Some of the documents I submitted to the EFCC included the certified true copies (CTCs) of the statements of account, cover letter for the statements of account, packages used to open the account, as well as certificates of identification for each account,” he said.
The court has officially admitted a substantial collection of bank documents, totaling 794 pages, into evidence. This significant addition to the case file, designated as Exhibit PW-1 (A1-A794), may hold important clues in the investigation into Willie Obiano’s financial dealings.
Further incriminating evidence was admitted into the court record, as a second bundle of documents dated June 1, 2023, revealed a trail of debits made from the accounts in question. This damning evidence may seal Willie Obiano’s fate in the corruption case against him.
In a calculated move, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, Willie Obiano’s lawyer, chose not to immediately object to the exhibits, instead, he will raise his objections in his final address. This strategy suggests that the defense is biding its time, waiting for the opportune moment to challenge the prosecution’s evidence.
When the witness was asked to read to the court, from the exhibit, some names on the list of beneficiaries of funds that transferred out of the account, he mentioned “Moment of Peace Ventures, Easy Diamond Integrated Links and Nasdaq Ventures.”
Read also: ₦4bn Fraud: Court Releases Obiano’s Passport For Medical Trip
Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, the bank manager, testified under cross-examination that all transactions involving his bank were carried out strictly in compliance with the account mandates, implying that the bank had no knowledge of or involvement in any fraudulent activities.
Following Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi’s testimony, he was excused, and the next witness, Ms. Egbunam, took the stand. She introduced herself as a businesswoman who deals in Turkey wear sales and began sharing her relevant experiences.
The witness, Ms. Egbunam, revealed that she received a surprise call from the EFCC on May 20, asking her to report to their office in connection with some transactions that had gone through her company’s account, C.I. Party Ventures Nigeria Limited.
“When I got to the EFCC, I told them that I did not know anything about the money but that I knew that I told my account officer, Ugochukwu Otibelu, to help me upgrade my account to enable me to meet the requirements of the Embassy of Turkey.
Ms Egbunam said Mr Ugochukwu was to upgrade her account to enable her to travel and fund it, adding, “My account officer accepted my request and collected my company account and cheque.”
“However, at the EFCC, I was told that about N156.8 million passed through my account from the Anambra State government,” she said.
“While being cross-examined, the witness told the court that the arrangement was for her account officer to facilitate the inflow of funds into her company’s account government,” she said.
Ms. Egbunam testified that her account officer was responsible for facilitating the transfer of funds into her company’s account, as per their prior understanding, when questioned during cross-examination.
She told the court that she did not touch the money wired into the account because it did not belong to her.
Furthermore, the witness told the court that her family members were the directors of the company’s account.
“Outside the fact that the defendant was the governor of Anambra State, I never had any dealings with him,” she added.
When asked to tell the court about the security situation in the state while Mr Obiano held sway as governor, the witness said, “I currently stay in Anambra. There is usually no movement in the state every Monday because of a sit-at-home order.
“I know ESN and IPOB, and they operate fully in Anambra State.”
Ms. Egbunam told the court that Willie Obiano, during his time as governor, engaged with various organizations and churches to ensure peace and stability in the state. The matter was subsequently adjourned by Judge Ekwo until Wednesday for further trial.
