Former acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, on Monday, urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to acquit and discharge in the N868.46 million fraud case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mr Nwabuoku told trial judge James Omotosho shortly after he opened his defence in the charge preferred against him by the EFCC and was being led in evidence by his lawyer, Norrison Quakers, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The EFCC is prosecuting the former acting accountant-general on nine counts of money laundering involving N868, 465, 000.
Mr Omotosho had, on 13 November 2025, dismissed a no-case submission filed by Mr Nwabuoku, on the grounds that the anti-graft agency had made out a prima facie case against him, necessitating the need to open his defence.
The judge held that a prima facie case had been established. But he said it did not necessarily imply that the court found him guilty of the charges as he was he was still presumed innocent until proven guilty. He said directing Mr Nwabuoku to open his defence was to allow him exhaust the options for his defence and to clear every unresolved issue.
Defendant testifies as first defence witness
Led in evidence by his defence lawyer on Monday, the the former accountant-general denied being a signatory to the accounts of some companies allegedly linked to him.
The companies included Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited, which the EFCC alleged Mr Nwabuoku benefitted from during his time as former Director, Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Defence.
“I did not sign any document and my name did not appear in the account opening packages of the companies,” he said when he was asked by Mr Quakers to go through the exhibits containing the names of the companies.
When the lawyer asked him if he knew Jerry Nwachukwu, mR Nwabuoku, who testified as the first defence witness, responded in the affirmative.
“Yes, I know him. He is a contractor, a registered contracted in the Ministry of Defence, even before I became director in the ministry,” he said.
He was asked to confirm if he instructed Mr Nwachukwu, one of the prosecution witness, to purchase the property he is occupying in CityGate, as alleged before the court.
Responding, he said; “I didn’t instruct him to buy any property for me. I bought the property myself.”
The DW-1 added that all documents associated with the said property are his, stressing that his name is on the transactional receipts of the property.
He said he had established a good record of service for 35 years allegedly without any dent and that Nwachukwu, who was EFCC’s witness, acknowledged this when he told the court that “he has no reason to doubt his (Nwabuoku’s) integrity.”
“My lord, I will be relying on the receipts of the property and at appropriate time, I will address the court on this,” Quakers said.
Nwabuoku told the court that he was neither a director nor a shareholder in Nwachukwu’s company.
The lawyer asked him to confirm refunding N220 million through another litigation by the EFCC and explain what he knew about the development.
The ex-AGF said the development occurred during an investigation at the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) where the officials said they saw a financial investment he made.
He told the judge that he receives “not less than N70 million annually on dividends” and that the money came from his bank account and is equally in his stock statement.
He said the civil suit for forfeiture of his money was instituted by the EFCC at Court 5 of a sister judge, while the trial was ongoing.
When the lawyer showed him the court order in respect of the forfeiture, Nwabuoku confirmed it and Quakers tendered it in evidence and it was marked as Exhibit DW-H after the EFCC’s lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, did not raise objection.
“Finally, what do you want the court to do for you,” the lawyer asked.
“My lord, I want the court to discharge and acquit me in respect of this suit,” the ex-AGof said.
After concluding his testimony, the judge adjourned the matter until Feb. 10 for continuation of hearing, when the commission’s lawyer is executed to cross-examine Nwabuoku.
NAN reports that the court granted bail to Mr Nwabuoku in the summer N500 million with two sureties in the like sum, following his arraigr he was arraigned on Jan. 15, 2025, on a nine-count amended charge.
The EFCC filed the charges against Mr Nwabuoku on 27 November 2024.
In count one, the EFCC alleged that Mr Nwabuoku, alongside Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited (at large), Turge Global Investment Limited (at large), Laptev Bridge Limited, Arafura Transnational Afro Limited (at large) and other persons (all at large) conspired to convert public funds.
The funds were said to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The anti-graft agency said the offence was contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as (amended by Act No. 1 of 2012) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
He was alleged to have perpetrated the act while he served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
Mr Nwabuoku was later appointed acting accountant-general of the federation on 20 May 2022 under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari after Ahmed Idris was suspended as AGoF over alleged N80 billion fraud.
He was, however, replaced in July 2022, afew weeks after he assumed office.
Sylva Okolieaboh, Director at the Treasury Single Account (TSA) Department, replaced Mr Nwabuoku as acting
Mr Okolieaboh’s appointment followed a report that Mr Nwabuoku was under the radar of EFCC over corruption allegations.
On 31 January 2025, the first prosecution witness, Eucharia Ezeodi, a Zenith Bank Plc staff member, and a director with the federal civil service, Felix Nweke, the second prosecution witness, gave their testimonies against the defendant.
The anti-graft agency, however, closed its case after calling nine witnesses to establish its case against Nwabuoku.
(NAN)
