EFCC charges ex-Anambra Governor Obiano to court on N4 billion fraud allegations

In the Federal High Court in Abuja, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged former Anambra State governor Willie Obiano with fraud and embezzlement totaling N4 billion.

Arriving in a white bus with EFCC personnel escorting him, was the former governor.

Recall that Obiano was detained at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in 2022 while attempting to take a flight overseas, just hours after he turned over power as governor to Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, his successor.

As a result, the anti-graft agency added him to its watchlist. He faces allegations of misappropriating state monies and charging them to his account.
Part of the charge reads, “That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 — March 2022, sometime between 9th August, 2017 to 4th March, 2020 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N261,268,585.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account No: 5030050875 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Plc into the Fidelity Bank Plc Account No: 5600062873 belonging to Easy Diamond Integrated Link (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated / unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”