EFCC alleges Obiano dodging court process service along with counsel
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Former Anambra Governor Willie Obiano is adopting delay tactics and evading service of court processes in the alleged N40 billion fraud charges against him, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has complained in court.
EFCC lead counsel Sylvanus Tahir, SAN made the allegation at the resumption of Obiano’s trial at the Abuja Federal High Court.
Tahir recounted to Justice Inyang Ekwo that in compliance with the order of the court made on March 4, he filed a counter affidavit to oppose the bid by Obiano to challenge the territorial jurisdiction of the court to prosecute him.
Tahir said
- Efforts to serve the counter affidavit on Obiano through his lawyer on March 6 were thwarted.
- His (Tahir’s) team was at the chambers of Obiano’s lead counsel Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN on March 6 but the gate to the office was locked.
- He (Tahir) personally phoned up two of Obiano’s lawyers and was told they were at a Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
- Due to the circumstances, he was only able to serve the counter affidavit on Obiano inside the court room on March 8.
- The court should proceed to hear Obiano’s motion challenging the territorial jurisdiction of the court along with the counter affidavit.
Patrick Ikweto, SAN who represented Obiano at Thursday’s proceedings, confirmed being served and pleaded for an adjournment to enable him respond to the counter affidavit.
Ekwo granted the request and fixed March 13 for hearing of the motion on jurisdiction.
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The charge sheet
Obiano, who served two terms in Anambra, is on trial over alleged embezzlement of N40 billion of state funds.
The charge sheet reads in part: “that Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State between March 2014 – March 2022, sometime between 9th August, 2017 to 4th March, 2020 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr Willie Nwokoye, your then principal private secretary, the sum of N261,268,585.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account into the account belonging to Easy Diamond Integrated Link (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government) ….
[The] funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated/unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
