Willie Obiano, the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, will be arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) tomorrow Wednesday, Jan. 24. He will be arraigned on a nine-count charge bordering on money laundering before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Ola Olukoyede, the EFCC Chairman, has promised to revive all abandoned high-profile cases, especially those involving former governors and ministers. following the completion of his tenure in 2022, Obiano was placed on the watchlist of the anti-graft agency over allegations of corruption. The former governor was eventually arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport hours after he handed over power to Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the new state governor.
The charges said he allegedly diverted public funds 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.”
