Ex-AGF, EFCC enter plea bargain agreement in N1.6bn fraud case

The former acting Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, Anamekwe Nwabuoku, has entered a plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged N1.6 billion fraud.

EFCC’s counsel, Ogechi Ujam, informed Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court in Abuja upon resumed hearing on Monday.

When the matter was called, Ujam told the court that on the last adjourned date, Nwabuoku and his co-defendant, Felix Nweke, submitted proposal for settlement.

She said the parties in the charge had agreed and that the agreement had been submitted to the EFCC’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for approval.

“So we are asking for a date to file our plea bargain  agreement and amended charge,” the lawyer said.

Nwabuoku’s lawyer, Isidal Udenko, and Emeka Onyeaka, who represented Nweke, also admitted opting for a plea bargain.

Justice Omotosho subsequently adjourned the matter until December 2 for adoption of plea bargain agreement.

The anti-graft agency had preferred 11-count money laundering charge against the duo.

Nwabuoku and Nweke, a former Deputy Director in the Ministry of Defence, are being prosecuted for alleged money laundering offences to the tune of N1.6 billion.

While Nwabuoku is the 1st defendant in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/240/24 dated May 20 and filed May 27 by Ekele Iheanacho, Nweke is the 2nd defendant.

They were alleged to have perpetrated the act while Nwabuoku served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.

Nwabuoku was appointed acting AGF on May 20, 2022 under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari after Ahmed Idris was suspended as AGF over alleged N80 billion fraud.

He was, however, removed in July 2022, few weeks after he assumed office.

Sylva Okolieaboh, a Director at the Treasury Single Account (TSA) Department, replaced Nwabuoku as acting AGF.

Okolieaboh’s appointment followed after report that Nwabuoku was under the radar of EFCC over corruption allegations.

On July 10, the ex-AGF and his co-defendants begged the court to give them more time to conclude the refund of the public funds allegedly siphoned.

They prayed the judge to halt their arraignment until another date to perfect the refund.

NAN