How Anambra Ex-Governor, Willie Obiano Diverted N4billion Public Funds To Private Firms – Witnesses Tell Court

In their testimony, Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi and Mrs. Chinwe Patricia Ebunam, two prosecution witnesses, claimed that N4 billion in security votes were transferred to private firms during the trial of former Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

During the resumption of the trial on Tuesday, Nnadi, an Anambra State bank manager, disclosed that records from his bank indicated that money from the state’s security votes account was moved to a number of private companies, including Xpressive Consult Nig. Limited, C.I Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited, and Easy Diamond Integrated Links, among others, while Obiano was governor.

Given that Willie Obiano oversaw these transactions, there may have been financial misappropriation involving public funds.

The witness, led in testimony by Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), the prosecution attorney for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), claimed that the Anambra State Government, led by Willie Obiano, had multiple accounts with the bank, including the Security Votes Account, the Statutory Revenue Account, the Value Added Account, and the Consolidated Internal Generated Revenue Account.

He said this, “the mandate of the Security Votes Account was operated by the then Principal Secretary to the governor, Mr Willie Nwokoye and the Accountant at the government house, Theophilus Meize. The accounts are funded weekly from various accounts, especially from the Consolidated Internal Revenue account in which payments are usually made weekly based on the advice from the operators of the account to various entities, be it individual or corporate entities which I cannot mention here because the names are many but I recall that I made a statement in the Commission where I listed some of those names there.”

Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, the witness, stated in his testimony that he gave the Commission a number of documents, including account statements, certified true copies, identity certificates, and account opening packets. The prosecution’s counsel presented these documents, which are marked PW A1 to PW A794 and B1 to B432, as evidence, and the court accepted it.

Furthermore, the second prosecution witness, Chinwe Patricia Ebunam, a businesswoman from Onitsha, stated in her deposition that she never completed any contracts for the government but in 2022 she received an unexplained payment of N156,800,000 (One Hundred and Fifty-Six Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) from the Anambra State Government’s account. There was no explicit rationale or explanation provided for this payment.

In her statement, “Sometime around 20th May 2022, I received a call from EFCC that they needed me in their office, regarding my company C.I Patty Ventures, about some money that passed through my account, which I told them I didn’t know anything about the money that passed through my account. All I knew was that I called my bank account officer, Ugochukwu Otibere to upgrade my account or post money into my account to enable me to pass the requirements of the embassy so that I can travel. 

“He accepted and collected the details of the company’s account and cheque. He promised me that he will upgrade the account. I don’t know anything about the NI56,800 million that passed through my account from the Anambra State Government.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed nine counts against the former governor of Anambra, alleging N4 billion in embezzlement and money laundering. The governor is currently on trial for these charges.

The prosecution is putting forward evidence to back up Obiano’s allegations that he misused public monies for personal gain. June 26, 2024 is the next scheduled court date.