A former acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Anamekwe Nwabuoku, has appealed to the Federal High Court in Abuja for additional time to complete the refund of allegedly looted public funds.
Nwabuoku and his co-defendant, Felix Nweke, face 11 counts of money laundering totaling ₦1.6 billion, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants, accused of committing the fraud while Nwabuoku served as Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence (2019-2021), requested a delay in their arraignment to finalize the refund. Nweke’s lawyer, Emeka Onyeaka, informed the court that his client had made significant refunds and was awaiting confirmation from the EFCC.
The court heard that Nweke had taken steps to refund the money traced to him and that the EFCC had received the payment. The commission promised to communicate with the defense team once their administrative procedures were complete. The defense counsel requested more time, stating that they had been asked to wait for the EFCC’s processes.
Justice James Omotoso will decide on the next steps in the case, which has sparked intense interest in the nation’s capital. The outcome will determine whether the defendants will face trial or be granted more time to refund the alleged looted funds.
