‘Money laundering’: Nwabuoku has opted for plea bargain, EFCC tells court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has reached a plea bargain agreement with Anamekwe Nwabuoku, a former acting accountant-general of the federation (AGF), over money laundering allegations against him.

In July, the EFCC brought Nwabuoku and Felix Nweke, a former deputy director in the ministry of defence, before a federal high court in Abuja.

However, the arraignment was suspended after the defendants opted for a plea bargain and appealed to the court to give them more time to refund what they were accused of stealing.

Nwabuoku and Nweke are facing 11 counts of money laundering to the tune of N1.6 billion.

The defendants allegedly committed the act while Nwabuoku served as the director of finance and accounts in the ministry of defence between 2019 and 2021.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Nwabuoku as the acting accountant-general of the federation on May 20, 2022, following the suspension of Ahmed Idris, who was also accused of financial crimes.

However, Nwabuoku was removed in July 2022, a few weeks after he assumed office.

At the resumed court session on Monday, Ogechi Ujam, the prosecuting counsel, told the court that parties were in the process of finalising a plea bargain arrangement.

Ujam said on the last adjourned date, Nwabuoku and Nweke submitted a proposal for settlement.

She said the agreement has been submitted to the EFCC’s chairman for approval.

Consequently, she prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the parties to bring the agreement and an amended charge before the court.

Lawyers to the defendants, Isidal Udenko (for Nwabuoku) and Emeka Onyeaka (for Nweke), confirmed what Ujam said.

James Omotosho, the presiding judge, adjourned the case till December 2 for the adoption of the plea bargain agreement.