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A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has handed down a 72-year prison sentence to former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Anamekwe Nwabuoku, after finding him guilty of money laundering involving large sums of public funds.
The ruling, delivered on Monday by Justice James Omotosho, affirmed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented strong and convincing evidence against the defendant as reported by The Cable.
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Conviction and Sentencing
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Nwabuoku was prosecuted on a nine-count amended charge linked to the laundering of about N868.4 million. The court convicted him on all counts and imposed an eight-year sentence for each offence.
While the combined sentence totals 72 years, the court ruled that the jail terms will run concurrently, meaning he will not serve them back-to-back.
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Earlier in the trial, the defendant had been granted bail of N500 million, with two sureties required to meet the same amount.
Court Criticises Abuse of Office
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Justice Omotosho condemned the misuse of funds earmarked for security and defence, calling the act “appalling.” He stressed that such actions undermine public trust, especially given the sensitive nature of the funds involved.
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The judge also commended the EFCC for its detailed handling of the case, noting that the prosecution was thorough.
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In addition, the court observed that evidence showing Nwabuoku refunded over N200 million during the investigation was not disputed by his legal team.
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Case Details and Background
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According to the EFCC, the former official worked with multiple firms to channel and conceal funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. The companies mentioned include Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited.
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The offences were said to have occurred between 2019 and 2021 while he served as director of finance and accounts at the Ministry of Defence, in breach of provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
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An attempt by Nwabuoku to stop the trial through a no-case submission was rejected by the court in November 2025.
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He was appointed acting accountant-general on May 20, 2022, by former President Muhammadu Buhari, following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over an alleged N80 billion fraud.
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However, he was removed from office in July 2022, just weeks after his appointment, following reports that he was under investigation by the EFCC.
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