Former Anambra State Government, Chief Willie Obiano, on Thursday, pleaded not guilty to nine-count charge of money laundering when he appeared before the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had arraigned him in the court for allegedly laundering N4 billion.
Obiano, after pleading not guilty before Justice Inyang Ekwo, was subsequently allowed to go home based on the terms of an administrative bail the anti-graft agency earlier granted to him.
He was, however, slammed with the condition of not traveling outside the country without the permission of the court, and this is as his international passport was seized.
His case was adjourned till March 4 for the commencement of his trial.
Some of the charges against him, read: “That you, Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State of Nigeria between March 2014 – March 2022, sometime between 7th February, 2018 to 18th February, 2019 in Abuja;
“…within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N156,800.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account No: 5030050875 domiciled in Fidelity Bank Pic into the Fidelity Bank Ple Account No: 6060018819 belonging to C.I. Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited (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.
“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.”
Recall that Obiano was first arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on March 17, 2022, as he was preparing to board a flight to Houston, in the United States of America.
He was arrested just a few hours after he handed power over to the current governor of the state, Chukwuma Soludo.
