‘Money laundering’: Court to deliver judgment in ex-accountant-general Nwabuoku’s case on April 13

A federal high court in Abuja has scheduled April 13 for judgement in the alleged N868 million money laundering trial of Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, former acting accountant-general of the federation.

James Omotosho, the presiding judge, fixed the date on Monday after Ekele Iheanacho, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Norrison Quakers, the defendant’s lawyer, adopted their final written addresses.

Nwabuoku is standing trial on a nine-count amended charge of laundering involving N868 million. He was granted bail of N500 million, with two sureties in like sum.

In the charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024, the anti-graft agency alleged that Nwabuoku conspired with several companies, including Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited, to convert funds suspected to be the proceeds of unlawful activities.

The EFCC said the alleged offences contravene section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended, and are punishable under section 15(3) of the Act.

According to the commission, the alleged offences were committed between 2019 and 2021, when Nwabuoku served as director of finance and accounts at the ministry of defence.

He was appointed acting accountant-general of the federation on May 20, 2022, by the late former president Muhammadu Buhari, following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over an alleged N80 billion fraud.

However, Nwabuoku was removed from office in July 2022, barely weeks after his appointment, amid reports that he was under EFCC investigation.

The EFCC called nine witnesses before closing its case. On November 13, 2025, Omotosho dismissedNwabuoku’s no-case submission and ordered him to enter his defence.

Nwabuoku opened his defence on February 2, 2026, denying the allegations and insisting that he was not a signatory to some of the companies allegedly linked to him.