Willie Obiano, the immediate-past governor of Anambra State, has entered a plea of not guilty to the nine charges of money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges allege money laundering activities totaling N4,008,573,350, involving the transfer of funds from security votes into various accounts.
The alleged offenses took place between March 2014 and March 2022. Obiano is accused of moving funds from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account into accounts belonging to entities with no business relationship with the state government. The former governor pleaded not guilty to all nine counts during his arraignment on Wednesday.
Among the charges, one accuses Obiano of indirectly transferring N156,800.00 from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account into an account belonging to C.I. Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited. Another charge alleges the indirect transfer of N261,268,585.00 to another country, belonging to Easy Diamond Integrated Link. Both entities are stated to have had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government.
The charges invoke sections of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and if found guilty, Obiano could face penalties as specified in the Act. The alleged offenses involve activities deemed as stealing and corruption, with the prosecution asserting that Obiano reasonably ought to have known that the funds were proceeds of unlawful acts.
Obiano’s plea of not guilty sets the stage for legal proceedings as the case unfolds, and the former governor defends himself against the charges leveled by the EFCC.
