Nwabuoku money laundering case heads for judgment as Abuja court fixes April 13, 2026, to rule on alleged ₦868m fraud charges

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 13, 2026, for judgment in the Nwabuoku money laundering case involving a former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, over an alleged ₦868 million financial crime.

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Justice James Omotosho announced the date on Monday after counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, and defence counsel, Mr Norrison Quakers, SAN, adopted their final written addresses and presented closing arguments before the court.

Mr Nwabuoku was arraigned on January 15, 2025, on a nine-count amended charge bordering on alleged money laundering and was subsequently granted bail in the sum of ₦500 million with two sureties in like amount.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024, lists the former public official as the sole defendant following amendments to the charge by the anti-graft agency.

According to the EFCC, Nwabuoku allegedly conspired with several companies, including Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited, to convert funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities while serving as Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.

The prosecution maintained that the alleged offences contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, as amended, and are punishable under relevant sections of the law.

During the trial, the EFCC presented nine witnesses, among them a Zenith Bank official, Mrs Eucharia Ezeodi, and a federal civil servant, Mr Felix Nweke, to establish its claims.

On November 13, 2025, Justice Omotosho dismissed a no-case submission filed by the defence, ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring the defendant to open his defence, while stressing that the ruling did not amount to a declaration of guilt.

Opening his defence on February 2, 2026, Nwabuoku urged the court to discharge and acquit him, denying any involvement with or signatory authority over the companies linked to the alleged transactions.

Court records also showed that the defendant had earlier explored a plea bargain arrangement in February 2025 but later withdrew from the process.

Mr Nwabuoku was appointed Acting Accountant-General of the Federation on May 20, 2022, by former President Muhammadu Buhari following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over a separate fraud investigation, before being removed from office in July 2022 amid EFCC scrutiny.

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Legal observers say the forthcoming judgment is expected to provide decisive clarity in one of the notable financial crime prosecutions involving a former top government finance official.