By Nchetachi Chukwuajah A Federal High Court in Abuja has found a former acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Anamekwe Nwabuoku, guilty of an alleged case of money laundering and fraud to the tune of N868.46 million and sentenced him to a cumulative 72-year jail term. This ruling has become widely known as the Ex-AGF N868.46 million fraud conviction.
The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, while delivering judgement on Monday, March 23, in the nine-count amended charge against the former AGF, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had proved its case against Nwabuoku in the Ex-AGF N868.46 million fraud conviction proceedings.
The court convicted Nwabuoku on all nine counts and sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment on each count, amounting to a cumulative 72 years. It, however, ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
Justice Omotosho described Nwabuoku’s diversion of funds meant for security and defence while serving as Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Defence as “appalling.”
The judge also commended the EFCC for what he described as a meticulous prosecution of the case regarding the Ex-AGF N868.46 million fraud conviction.
He noted that the testimony of the ninth prosecution witness, who stated that Nwabuoku voluntarily refunded over N200 million during the investigation, was not challenged by the defence.
The EFCC also confirmed Nwabuoku’s sentencing in a post on its X handle on Monday, saying, “The former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, who was prosecuted by the EFCC at the Federal High Court, Abuja, for money laundering involving N868.46 million, has been convicted and sentenced to jail for 72 years.” Moreover, the Ex-AGF N868.46 million fraud conviction has drawn significant attention from the public.
Nwabuoku was appointed acting AGF in May 2022 following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over an alleged N800 million fraud, but was removed in July 2022, a few weeks after his appointment, following reports that he was being investigated by the EFCC.
The EFCC had arraigned him on January 15, 2025, in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024, on nine amended counts of money laundering.
The court subsequently granted him bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.
In the first count, the EFCC alleged that Nwabuoku, alongside several companies, including Temero Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and
Arafura Transnational Afro Limited, conspired to convert funds believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The alleged offence contravened Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), and is punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.
The anti-graft agency also said the offences involved the alleged laundering of about N86 million while he served as Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
According to the EFCC, the prosecution called nine witnesses during the trial, including a Zenith Bank staff member, Eucharia Ezeodi, and a Director in the Federal Civil Service, Felix Nweke.
The former acting AGF had, however, filed a no-case submission, which was dismissed by the court in November 2025.
