A Federal High Court in Abuja has handed down a 72-year prison sentence to Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, for money laundering involving N868.46 million.
The judgment was delivered on Monday, March 23, 2026, by Justice James Omotosho, who ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had convincingly proven its case against Nwabuoku.
The court heard that Nwabuoku, previously Director of Finance at the Ministry of Defense, had authorized the transfer of significant public funds to several private companies, claiming the transfers were for security-related operations.
During proceedings, he admitted to facilitating the transactions, marking a reversal from his earlier denials.
The companies implicated included Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited.
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Evidence also linked part of the funds to the purchase of a residence, with a N64 million cheque issued by Mdavi Limited used to complete the transaction, raising further questions about the source of the money.
Nwabuoku faced an amended nine-count charge under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
Prosecutors argued that the funds were diverted without proper documentation or oversight and were routed through private entities under the guise of official operations.
Justice Omotosho imposed separate jail terms for each count, bringing the total to 72 years.
The ruling underscores the judiciary’s commitment to enforcing accountability among high-ranking public officials and demonstrates the government’s resolve to clamp down on corruption in public financial management.