Alex Enumah in Abuja
The immediate past governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has challenged his trial at a Federal High Court in Abuja, for a crime allegedly committed in Anambra State.
Obiano subsequently asked the court to decline jurisdiction and to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to shift the prosecution of the criminal matter to the appropriate place in Anambra.
The former governor who served two terms in Anambra State was arraigned before the court over alleged embezzlement of state funds amounting to N40 billion.
At the resumed trial on Monday, lawyer to the anti-graft agency, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, told the court that he had three witnesses to present against the governor.
But the defendant’s lawyer, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, stood up and told the judge that he had filed a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court to conduct the trial in Abuja.
Ikpeazu insisted that the appropriate place to determine the money laundering charges instituted against his client must be considered and resolved before any trial could commence. He asked the court to exercise its discretion to determine his motion first before the commencement of any trial.
The EFCC lawyer, Tahir confirmed to the court that the defendant served him with the said motion on notice.
“This is a blatant waste of time,” Tahir contended but Justice Inyang Ekwo interjected and asked him to allow the court to decide the motion on its merit.
Subsequently, lawyers agreed to return to the court on Thursday and exchange processes relating to the motion on notice.
Justice Ekwo thereafter adjourned the matter to March 7 for motion on notice to be determined.
Part of the charge read: “That Chief Willie Maduabuchi Obiano, whilst being the executive governor of Anambra State between March 2014 – March 2022, sometime between August 9, 2017 to March 4, 2020 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly transferred through Mr. Willie Nwokoye, your then Principal Private Secretary, the sum of N261,268,585.00 only from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account into the account belonging to Easy Diamond Integrated Link (an entity that had no business relationship with the Anambra State Government), which funds were dissipated for purposes unrelated/unconnected with the security affairs of Anambra State, which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, to wit: (Stealing and Corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) in 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”
