Tag: Willie Obiano

The suspension of Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja stalled the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s money laundering case against former Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano.

The National Judicial Council (NJC) at its 108th meeting held between April 29 and  April 30, suspended Justice Ekwo.

Although the Chief Judge of FHC, Justice John Tsoho, in his May 18 press release, directed Justice M. G. Umar from Enugu Judicial Division to take over cases earlier presided over by Justice Ekwo, the new judge is yet to resume work.

A check at the court on Monday showed that sitting was yet to begin as directed by the CJ.

Obiano was Anambra governor between March 2014 and March 2022.

The former governor, in a nine-count charge, was alleged to have among others, misappropriated over N4 billion from the state’s treasury.

It would be recalled that the EFCC’s lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, led two witnesses in evidence in the trial of the ex-governor on Oct. 7, 2024.

A former commercial bank staff, Mr Ugochukwu Otubelu, had revealed how he managed the security vote account under Obiano’s government.

Otubelu, the 3rd prosecution witness (PW-3), said though he was with the bank between Nov. 2, 2008 and March 24, 2023, he said he is now a businessman.

He said that the signatories to the security vote account were the former Principal Secretary to the ex-governor, Willy Nwokoye, and the Accountant, Theophilus Nweze.

He said he interfaced with them mostly on daily and weekly basis in processing their transactions.

The PW-3, who admitted that funds from the security votes account went into six companies’ account, said the money did not go to the account holders.

The EFCC also called Hayatu Hadejia, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator as PW-4.

Hadejia told the court that he is a businessman, who runs BDC companies.

He said he had five companies and was invited by the EFCC as part of its investigations into the financial activities of the government of ex-governor Obiano.

Another BDC Operator, Ayuba Tanko, on Nov. 13, 2024, said between April and December 2017, a total sum of N416 million was paid into a company’s account he used, by proxy, in the ongoing trial of Obiano.

Ayuba, who was PW-5, said the N416 million which was received in tranches, was given back as 1.137 million US dollars equivalent.

“I am a trader. I trade in forex exchange. I trade in USDs, Euros and pounce sterling. I do source for customers and I do exchange and collect commission,” he said.

The PW-5 said he used two companies; Sauki Bureau De Change and Zigaziga Trading and Company Ltd for his business.

He said he was invited by the EFCC, through its Investigation Department, in 2023 and was questioned about Zigaziga Trading and Company Ltd’s account domiciled in one of the commercial banks.

When the senior lawyer asked him how much he received at the period, the witness said: “Between April 2017 to December 2017, the total money I received at that period  was 416 million in naira.

“And I gave a dollar equivalent as 1, 137, 000.00 US dollars,” he said.

Ayuba said besides this transaction, he did not do any other business with the Anambra government under Gov. Obiano.

Obiano’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, during cross examination, asked the PW-5 if he had ever had any dealing with the ex-governor directly, Ayuba said: “I did not deal directly with the defendant.”

The prosecution counsel also called three bankers, who gave their testimonies in the alleged money laundering charge.

The NJC slammed a one-year suspension without pay on three serving judicial officers, including a Justice of the Court of Appeal, for various acts of judicial misconduct.The disciplinary actions were among several key resolutions reached at the Council’s 108th meeting held on April 29 and 30, 2025, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

This is contained in a statement issued by the NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe.

The NJC said Justice Jane E. Inyang of the Court of Appeal, Uyo Division, was found guilty of breaching Rule 3 (5) of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

The council said, “Justice Jane E. Inyang was found to have abused his office by issuing inappropriate Ex parte Orders for the sale ofUdeme Esset’s petrol station and other businesses at the interlocutory stage of the case.

Similarly, Justice Ekwo was also suspended for one year without pay.

In addition, he was placed on the Council’s Watch List and barred from elevation for five years.
“complaints against  Justice Ekwo arose from Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/184/2021, wherein His Lordship delivered a ruling in a pending application without hearing the parties,” the council said.

A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, February 24, informed the FCT High Court in Abuja, that Willie Obiano, funneled funds through three unlicensed companies during his tenure as governor of Anambra State.

TheNewsGuru reports that Obiano, is facing nine counts of diverting over N4 billion from the state’s security fund account during his tenure as Governor of Anambra State,  between 2014 and 2022.

During cross-examination by counsel, the third prosecution witness in the case, Andrew Ali, a Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, official and head of the licensing office told the court that three of the 23 company accounts linked to the alleged N4 billion fraud were not licensed by the CBN to operate Bureau De Change, BDC, businesses.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), Ali identified the companies as Connaught International Services, SY Panda Enterprise, and Zirga Zirga Trading Company.

He further stated that Zirga Zirga Trading Company had been delisted from the CBN’s licensing records before 2014, the year Obiano assumed office as governor.

“Sometimes around April 2023, we received two letters from the EFCC regarding some 23 financial institutions to know if they were licenced or not, I recall forwarding the two letters to the desk officer, who upon review, said we have received such letters in the past before so we comprehensively replied the EFCC in a letter dated May 21, 2023 and as seen in the letter of our response, out of 23 companies, three of them were not registered,” he said.

According to the EFCC, Obiano directed the diversion of the funds between April 2017 and March 2022, using companies that had no official business ties with the Anambra State Government. The anti-corruption agency alleged that the money was converted into dollars and handed to the then-governor in cash.

The prosecution further claimed that over five years, Obiano instructed his Chief Protocol Officer and Deputy Chief of Staff, Uzuegbuna Okagbue, to withdraw and transfer various sums from state accounts.

However, Obiano pleaded not guilty to all nine charges when he was arraigned in January 2024.

During cross-examination by the defense counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), witness Andrew Ali confirmed that Zirga Zirga Trading Company had failed to meet the licensing requirements before 2014.

“Once you do not meet the requirements, you are delisted.

“It is in public knowledge that we only supervise the people that are licensed, once you are not on our list, we lose the power to supervise you,” he said.

“We run a public notice to sensitise the public not to operate with unlicensed companies which is also on our website.”

The witness further emphasized that the removal of companies failing to meet the criteria for license renewal was in accordance with Sections 15 and 19 of the CBN Revised Operational Guidelines 2015.

“Our work is to regulate, and supervise them. Once you do not meet the requirement of renewable licensing, you will be delisted and we publish it on our valedictory list which is on our website.

“BDCs also have operational accounts which they do business with, they are not allowed to do business without those accounts,” he stated.

The EFCC’s eight-page letter, along with the response, was accepted as evidence and labeled as Exhibit A1-A8.

Judge Inyang Ekwo postponed the case to February 26, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.

A Bureau De Change (BDC) Operator, Ayuba Tanko, says between April and December 2017, a total sum of N416 million was paid into a company’s account he used, by proxy, in the ongoing trial of former Governor of Anambra, Mr Willie Obiano.

Ayuba told Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday while being led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s counsel, Slyvanus Tahir, SAN.

Ayuba, who was the 5th prosecution witness (PW-5), said the N416 million which was received in tranches, was given back as 1.137 million US dollars equivalent.

“I am a trader. I trade in forex exchange. I trade in USDs, Euros and pounce sterling

“I do source for customers and I do exchange and collect commission,” he said.

The PW-5 said he used two companies; Sauki Bureau De Change and Zigaziga Trading and Company Ltd for his business.

He said he was invited by the EFCC, through its Investigation Department, in 2023 and was questioned about Zigaziga Trading and Company Ltd’s account domiciled in one of the commercial banks.

When the senior lawyer asked him how much he received at the period, the witness said: “Between April 2017 to December 2017, the total money I received at that period  was 416 million in naira.

“And I gave a dollar equivalent as 1, 137, 000.00 US dollars,” he said.

Ayuba said besides this transaction, he did not do any other business with the Anambra government under Gov. Obiano.

Obiano’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, during cross examination, asked the PW-5 if he had ever had any dealing with the ex-governor directly, Ayuba said: “I did not deal directly with the defendant.”

The prosecution counsel also called three bankers, who gave their testimonies in the alleged money laundering charge.

After the four witnesses testified and were cross examined by Ikpeazu, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until Feb. 24, Feb. 25 and Feb. 26, 2025 for continuation of trial.

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, shifted the alleged money laundering charge filed by the EFCC against former Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano, to Nov. 13 for continuation of trial.

The matter, which is before Justice Inyang Ekwo, could not proceed because the court did not sit. The judge was said to be attending a seminar at the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja.

Justice Ekwo had, on June 26, fixed today for the continuation of trial after the anti-graft agency’s lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, led two witnesses in evidence in the trial of the ex-governor.

A former commercial bank staff, Mr Ugochukwu Otubelu, had revealed how he managed the security vote account under Obiano’s government.

Otubelu, the 3rd prosecution witness (PW-3), said though he was with the bank between Nov. 2, 2008 and March 24, 2023, said he is now a businessman.

He said that the signatories to the security vote account were the former Principal Secretary to the ex-governor, Willy Nwokoye, and the Accountant, Theophilus Nweze.

He said he interfaced with them mostly on daily and weekly basis in processing their transactions.

The PW-3, who admitted that funds from the security votes account went into six companies’ account, said the money did not go to the account holders.

The EFCC also called Hayatu Hadejia, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator as PW-4. Hadejia told the court that he is a businessman, who runs BDC companies.

He said he had five companies and was invited by the EFCC as part of its investigations into the financial activities of the government of ex-governor Obiano.

After giving his testimony and was cross-examined by Obiano’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, Justice Ekwo discharged him from the witness box and fixed Oct. 7, Oct. 8, Oct. 9 and Oct. 10 for continuation of trial.

Obiano was Anambra governor between March 2014 and March 2022. The former governor, in a nine-count charge, was alleged to have among others, misappropriated over N4 billion from the state’s treasury.

Two witnesses testified on Tuesday at a Federal High Court, Abuja as Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opened its money laundering case against former Governor of Anambra, Willie Obiano.

A commercial banker staff, Mr Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, and an Onitsha-based business woman, Mrs Chinwe Patricia Egbunam, were led in evidence as 1st and 2nd prosecution witnesses by EFCC’s lawyer, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, before Justice Inyang Ekwo.

Obiano was Anambra governor between March 2014 and March 2022. The former governor, in a nine-count charge, was alleged to have among others, misappropriated over N4 billion from the state’s treasury.

When the matter was called, Nnadi, the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1), told the court that he was a bank manager at Awka, the capital of Anambra.

The witness said: “My lord, as part of our responsibilities, we manage customers’ accounts and interface with various security and anti-graft agencies in terms of enquiry on a customer’s account.

“We usually comply by providing the requested information.

“I know the defendant in this matter. He is the immediate past governor of Anambra State.

“In April 2022, I was informed by our compliance unit that I was needed at EFCC in respect of activities of the past administration of Anambra State.

“I went there with two of my colleagues. The EFCC told me that my invitation was in respect of an ongoing investigation.

“I was told that it was because I was the manager of the branch that handled most of the financial activities of the then state government.

“The state government maintains various accounts with our bank and one of such accounts was for security votes.”

According to him there was really nothing special about the security votes account.

“It was like every other account that we managed for the state government.

“The account was mostly funded by the office of the Accountant General of the state and bulk of the funds came from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

“Payments into the account was made on weekly basis and all transactions out of the account were always based on the advice of the account operators.

“The payments we made out of the account were to various entities and corporate organisations.

“We supplied documents containing names of all the beneficiaries to the EFCC,” the witness added.

However, he declined request by the prosecution counsel, Tahir, to mention names of some of the beneficiaries in the open court.

Nnadi said doing so would amount to a breach of his “oath of secrecy.”

He said the accounts were mostly funded every week.

“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 of the accounts,” he said.

Meanwhile, the bundle of documents from the bank, totaling 794 pages were tendered and admitted in evidence by the court as Exhibit PW-1 (A1- A 794)

Another bundle of documents dated June 1, 2023, showing the debits that were made from the accounts, were also admitted in evidence.

Obiano’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, said his client would reserve his objections to the Exhibits and raise them in his final address.

When the witness was asked to read to the court, from the exhibit, some of the names on the list of beneficiaries of funds that were transferred out of the account, he mentioned; “Moment of Peace Ventures, Easy Diamond Integrated Links and Nasda Ventures.”

When being cross-examined, Nnadi told the court that all the transactions that involved his bank, were done in compliance with the mandate on each account.

He said the mandates were also in accordance with the banking practice.

Shortly after Nnadi concluded his evidence and was dismissed, Mrs Egbunam.mounted the box and testified in the matter.

She told the court that she is a trader that specialised in “Turkey wears.”

She told the court that she had on May 20, received a call that she was needed at the EFCC office over some funds that passed through the account of her company, 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, Mr. Ugochukwu Otibelu, to help me to upgrade my account to enable me to meet requirement of the Embassy of Turkey.

“It was to upgrade the account to enable me to be able to travel and the upgrade was for him to help me and post money into my account.

“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.

She told the court that she did not touch the money that was wired into the account as it did not belong to her.

More so, the witness told the court that the directors of the company’s account were her family members.

“Outside the fact that the defendant was the governor of Anambra State, I never had any dealings with him,” she added.

Asked to tell the court about the security situation in the state while 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.”

She said during Obiano’s tenure, the former governor worked with organisations and churches to maintain peace in the state.

“This was because churches, organisations and even mosques were under threat during that period,” the witness added.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until Wednesday for trial continuation.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought the former governor of Anambra, Willie Obiano to the Federal High Court, Abuja for arraignment.

Obiano arrived the court escorted by some EFCC operatives.

Obiano was the fourth serving governor of Anambra state and his administration was from 2017 to 2022, he was Peter Obi’s successor.

At the time of filing this report, the courtroom was filled to capacity as lawyers, litigants and newsmen awaited the arrival of  the trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo.

Obiano is standing trial on a 9- count corruption charge bordering on alleged N4 billion filed  against him by the Federal Government through EFCC.