The former acting Accountant‑General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, has admitted before the Federal High Court in Abuja that he authorised the transfer of funds from the Ministry of Defence to four private companies for what he described as “classified purposes.”
Naijaonpoint reports that Nwabuoku made the admission on Tuesday while testifying before Justice James Omotosho in his ongoing trial on alleged money laundering charges involving ₦868,465,000.
Under cross‑examination by the prosecution, led by Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, the former Director of Finance at the Ministry of Defence acknowledged that the disputed transfers took place under his supervision.
Nwabuoku told the court that in a statement he made to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on February 2, 2025, he confirmed facilitating the payments to the companies for security‑related work that could not be openly disclosed.
The four companies named in the case are Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited.
This admission marked a significant departure from Nwabuoku’s earlier testimony, in which he had denied any dealings with the firms and claimed he only became aware of their names when they were mentioned in court proceedings.
Prosecutors questioned the credibility of Nwabuoku’s explanation, arguing that the evidence so far before the court does not support his claim that the funds were used for legitimate security operations.
Iheanacho told the court that there was no documentation or proof tying the payments to lawful or approved security transactions.
“The evidence does not show that the transfers were part of legitimate security spending,” the SAN argued.
He further maintained that the transactions formed part of a broader scheme of financial impropriety.
House Purchase Disclosure Raises Fresh Queries
In another twist during cross‑examination, Nwabuoku told the court that he used legitimate earnings to purchase his current residence.
However, he also admitted that a cheque for ₦64 million issued by Mdavi Limited was paid to City Gate Homes as part of the property acquisition.
The disclosure prompted further questioning from the prosecution about the source of the funds and the nature of his relationship with the company that issued the cheque.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Nwabuoku on an amended nine‑count charge of money laundering, contravening the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
The anti‑graft agency alleges that the funds were unlawfully diverted and channelled through private entities under the guise of security‑related expenditures.
Nwabuoku has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter until February 27, 2026, for the adoption of written addresses from both the prosecution and defence.