Ebonyi Accountant arraigned over alleged money laundering

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Obasi Sunday before the Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, over alleged money laundering.

Obasi, an employee of the Office of the Accountant-General of Ebonyi State and a signatory to the Ebonyi State Government Shopping Mall Account at United Bank for Africa, is accused of conducting structured cash transactions to avoid mandatory reporting rules.

According to a statement by the ICPC spokesman, John Odey, the defendant was arraigned on two charges before Justice H. Oshomah of the Federal High Court, Abakaliki Judicial Division.

According to the charge, the defendant allegedly withdrew a total sum of N61,000,000 from the government account in August 2020 in six tranches of N10,000,000 and an additional N1,000,000, with the intent to avoid reporting obligations.

The Commission further alleged that within the same period, the defendant deposited N60,941,725 into the UBA account of one Ikechukwu Obiukwu, a contractor to the Ebonyi State Government, in structured instalments of N10,000,000 and N941,725, with the intent to evade statutory reporting requirements.

“The offences are said to be contrary to Section 19(1)(c) and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” the statement added.

Upon arraignment, Odey said the defendant pleaded not guilty to both counts.

He said Counsel to the ICPC, Agbili Kingsley, applied for a date for the commencement of trial, while defence counsel, Michael Ngwu, moved a bail application, which was not opposed by the prosecution.

“The defendant was granted bail by the court on the following terms: The defendant admitted to bail to the sum of N10 million naira bond. A Surety, who must be the Accountant-General of the state.

“The Surety must sign an undertaking to ensure he produces the defendant in court with two recent passport photographs attached to it. The defendant must sign an undertaking to always be in court with two recent passport photographs attached to it, ” the statement added.

The case was adjourned to March 24 and 25, 2026, for commencement of the hearing.

The arraignment follows a trend of senior officials in government ministries and agencies being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged financial and administrative offences.

In a recent case, the Commission on January 29 arraigned Yusuf Mustapha, a Deputy Director at the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, over alleged forgery.

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