Court sentence Nwabuoku to 72 years in prison over fraud and money laundering...

The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, to a cumulative 72 years in prison over a ₦868.46 million fraud and money laundering case.

CBI News reports that the judgment followed a successful prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which charged Nwabuoku with multiple offences including money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and diversion of public funds.

Investigations into the case began during his tenure in key government positions, including his role as Director of Finance and Accounts at the Federal Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021, and later as Acting Accountant-General in 2022 after the suspension of his predecessor.

The EFCC filed a nine-count amended charge, alleging that Nwabuoku conspired with several companies Temero Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited to divert public funds into private accounts through transactions lacking lawful justification.

In November 2025, the court dismissed his no-case submission, ruling that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence for him to enter a defence.

Nwabuoku subsequently opened his defence in early 2026, urging the court to acquit him, but the EFCC maintained that the evidence demonstrated deliberate money laundering and misuse of government funds.

After reviewing the evidence and hearing testimonies from both sides, the court found him guilty on all counts and imposed a cumulative prison sentence of 72 years, with separate terms assigned to each charge.