The Federal High Court of Nigeria, sitting in Abuja has sentenced a former acting Accountant‑General of the Federation (AGoF), Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, to eight years in prison for an alleged N868.46 million fraud committed while he served in the federal finance and defence sector.
This judgement was delivered on Monday, March 23rd, 2026, by Justice James Omotosho who convicted Nwabuoku on nine counts of money laundering. This followed a ruling that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had proved each charge beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge noted that the sentences on the nine counts would run concurrently, meaning the convict will serve an aggregate eight‑year jail term without an option of paying a fine.
The court revealed that Nwabuoku’s diverted public monies, funds earmarked for defence and security during his tenure as Director of Finance and Accounts in the Federal Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2022, framing his act as appalling.
The EFCC had alleged that, in count one alone, he conspired with several companies, including Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited, to launder proceeds of unlawful activities in violation of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011.
The judgment came after three years when Mr Nwabuoku was briefly appointed as an acting Accountant‑General of the Federation in May 2022, following the suspension of his predecessor, Ahmed Idris, over separate corruption allegations.
He was removed from the position only weeks later, with reports at the time indicating that he had come under EFCC investigation over alleged financial impropriety linked to his role in the Ministry of Defence.
In the first instance when the EFCC filed the charges in November 2024, Mr Nwabuoku was initially arraigned alongside Felix Nweke, an official who worked under him in the ministry.
In July 2025, both of the suspects sought permission from the court to negotiate a refund‑based settlement before withdrawing the request. This prompted the prosecution to amend the charges and re‑arraign Mr Nwabuoku as the sole defendant on January 15, 2025.
During hearings in October 2024, the lead counsel for EFCC, Ogechi Ujam, disclosed that Mr Nwabuoku, together with his then‑co‑defendant had submitted a plea‑bargain proposal to the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for approval.
The defence lawyers likewise indicated they had opted for a plea‑bargain arrangement, asking the judge to fix a date for the submission of the agreed‑upon terms. When the accused parties failed to follow through, the commission formally opened its case on January 31, 2025.
Then the prosecution proceed to call nine witnesses, including Zenith Bank staff and senior civil servants, before closing its case.Mr Nwabuoku’s legal team filed a no‑case submission, arguing that the EFCC’s evidence was insufficient to establish a prima facie case. Norrison Quakers, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), led the submission, insisting that both testimonies and documentary exhibits fell short of the legal threshold.
However, Justice Omotosho rejected the submission in a November 2025 ruling, stating that the prosecution had produced adequate material to justify the requirements of law, compelling the defendant to open a defence.
Following the court’s direction, Nwabuoku opened his defence on February 2, 2026, maintaining that he was not a signatory to the companies linked to the transactions. Therefore, he prayed for his acquittal and discharge.
Nwabuoku was the only defence witness in the trial, as closing arguments were adopted on March 3. After the end of the trial, the presiding judge convicted and handed a eight‑year prison term to the defendant.