The former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGoF), Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, on Monday was convicted and sentenced to a 72-year jail term without an option of fine by the Federal High Court in Abuja over N868m fraud.
Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had proved the nine-count money laundering charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
Justice Omotosho convicted Nwabuoku on all nine counts and sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment on each count, totaling 72 years.
Nwabuoku was alleged to have perpetrated the act while serving as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
Justice Omotosho, who described Nwabuoku’s act of diverting funds meant for security and defence while he served as Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence as “appalling,” commended the EFCC for being detailed in its prosecution.
According to the judge, the defendant is hereby convicted as charged; however, the judge ordered that the counts shall run concurrently.
The judge observed that the evidence of the 9th prosecution witness that Nwabuoku voluntarily refunded part of the siphoned money of over N200 million during the investigation was not controverted by the defence.
Nwabuoku was arraigned on Jan. 15, 2025, on a nine-count amended charge and admitted to bail of N500 million with two sureties in the like sum.
The EFCC listed Mr. Nwabuoku as the sole defendant in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/2024.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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