"Former Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano Faces Money Laundering Charges: Pleads Not Guilty and Granted Bail"
In a significant legal development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought a nine-count money laundering charge against the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano. The former governor was arraigned before trial Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he entered a plea of not guilty in response to the charges.
Following the arraignment, Obiano was granted release under the terms of an administrative bail previously provided by the anti-graft agency. The conditions of the bail included the seizure of his international passport, accompanied by a stern warning against any international travel without explicit permission from the court.
Additionally, the court directed the EFCC to submit details of those who stood as surety for Obiano. The legal proceedings have been adjourned, with the trial set to commence on March 4.
This development comes on the heels of Obiano's initial arrest at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos on March 17, 2022, mere hours after his term as governor concluded. The charges against him involve alleged indirect transfers of funds from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account to entities unrelated to the state government's security affairs.
Specifically, the charges detail transactions facilitated through his then principal private secretary, Mr. Willie Nwokoye, raising allegations of misappropriation, stealing, and corruption. The charges, if proven, would constitute offenses under Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended), punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act. The legal proceedings promise to shed light on the intricacies of these allegations and their implications for the former governor.
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