Metro

Two Witnesses Testify As EFCC Opens Case Against Ex-Gov Obiano

Published

1 year ago

June 26, 2024

Two witnesses testified on Tuesday at a Federal High Court, Abuja as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opened its money laundering case against former Governor of Anambra, Willie Obiano.

A commercial banker staff, Mr Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, and an Onitsha-based businesswoman, Mrs Chinwe Patricia Egbunam, were led in evidence as 1st and 2nd prosecution witnesses by EFCC’s lawyer, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, before Justice Inyang Ekwo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obiano was Anambra governor between March 2014 and March 2022.

The former governor, in a nine-count charge, was alleged to have among others, misappropriated over N4 billion from the state’s treasury.

When the matter was called, Nnadi, the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1), told the court that he was a bank manager at Awka, the capital of Anambra.

The witness said: “My lord, as part of our responsibilities, we manage customers’ accounts and interface with various security and anti-graft agencies in terms of enquiry on a customer’s account.

“We usually comply by providing the requested information.

“I know the defendant in this matter. He is the immediate past governor of Anambra State.

“In April 2022, I was informed by our compliance unit that I was needed at EFCC in respect of activities of the past administration of Anambra State.

“I went there with two of my colleagues. The EFCC told me that my invitation was in respect of an ongoing investigation.

“I was told that it was because I was the manager of the branch that handled most of the financial activities of the then state government.

“The state government maintains various accounts with our bank and one of such accounts was for security votes.”

According to him there was really nothing special about the security votes account.

“It was like every other account that we managed for the state government.

“The account was mostly funded by the office of the Accountant General of the state and bulk of the funds came from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

“Payments into the account was made on weekly basis and all transactions out of the account were always based on the advice of the account operators.

“The payments we made out of the account were to various entities and corporate organisations.

“We supplied documents containing names of all the beneficiaries to the EFCC,” the witness added.

However, he declined request by the prosecution counsel, Tahir, to mention names of some of the beneficiaries in the open court.

Nnadi said doing so would amount to a breach of his “oath of secrecy.”

He said the accounts were mostly funded every week.

“Cash withdrawals, manager’s cheques, transfers and drafts were instruments that were used to remove the funds, based on instructions from the operators of the accounts.

“Some of the documents I submitted to the EFCC, included the certified true copies (CTCs) of the statements of account, cover letter for the statements of account, packages used to open the account, as well as certificates of identification for each of the accounts,” he said.

Meanwhile, the bundle of documents from the bank, totaling 794 pages were tendered and admitted in evidence by the court as Exhibit PW-1 (A1- A 794)

Another bundle of documents dated June 1, 2023, showing the debits that were made from the accounts, were also admitted in evidence.

Obiano’s lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, said his client would reserve his objections to the Exhibits and raise them in his final address.

When the witness was asked to read to the court, from the exhibit, some of the names on the list of beneficiaries of funds that were transferred out of the account, he mentioned; “Moment of Peace Ventures, Easy Diamond Integrated Links and Nasda Ventures.”

When being cross-examined, Nnadi told the court that all the transactions that involved his bank, were done in compliance with the mandate on each account.

He said the mandates were also in accordance with the banking practice.

Shortly after Nnadi concluded his evidence and was dismissed, Mrs Egbunam.mounted the box and testified in the matter.

She told the court that she is a trader that specialised in “Turkey wears.”

She told the court that she had on May 20, received a call that she was needed at the EFCC office over some funds that passed through the account of her company, C.I. Party Ventures Nigeria Limited.

“When I got to the EFCC, I told them that I did not know anything about the money but that I knew that I told my account officer, Mr. Ugochukwu Otibelu, to help me to upgrade my account to enable me to meet requirement of the Embassy of Turkey.

“It was to upgrade the account to enable me to be able to travel and the upgrade was for him to help me and post money into my account.

“My account officer accepted my request and collected my company account and cheque.

“However, at the EFCC, I was told that about N156. 8 million passed through my account from the Anambra State Government,” she said.

While being cross-examined, the witness told the court that the arrangement was for her account officer to facilitate the inflow of funds into her company’s account.

She told the court that she did not touch the money that was wired into the account as it did not belong to her.

More so, the witness told the court that the directors of the company’s account were her family members.

“Outside the fact that the defendant was the governor of Anambra State, I never had any dealings with him,” she added.

Asked to tell the court about the security situation in the state while Obiano held sway as governor, the witness said: “I currently stay in Anambra. There is usually no movement in the state every Monday because of a sit-at-home order.

“I know ESN and IPOB and they operate fully in Anambra State.”

She said during Obiano’s tenure, the former governor worked with organisations and churches to maintain peace in the state.

“This was because churches, organisations and even mosques were under threat during that period,” the witness added.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until Wednesday for trial continuation.

Metro

I Developed High Blood Pressure After I Discovered My Husband Had Another Wife — Wife

Published

7 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Editor

…Please, don’t dissolve our marriage — Husband

The Matero Local Court in Zambia, has heard that a man allegedly connived with his family to lie to his second wife that he was single.

According to Zambia Observer, Linda Mulenga, 30, giving evidence in the case where her husband, Lameck Mwale, 39, sued her for reconciliation, said she started losing interest in her marriage upon discovering that she was a second wife.

But Lameck said he still loved his wife and did not think that divorce was the solution to their current problem.

The couple got married in 2015 and has one child.

“I found out recently that my husband has a wife and that they have three children.

What is disturbing is that his family received me well and said nothing about his marital status,” Linda said.

Linda said it was better for them to go their separate ways because she had lost trust in her husband.

She also told the court that she recently discovered that her husband has a child with a Nyimba-based lover.

Linda said divorce was the best option because she was tired of being tortured mentally.

“It is better I walk out of the marriage now before this man kills me with depression.

“I have already developed high blood pressure because of the way he treats me.

“We have been separated for over three months now,” Linda said.

Testifying, earlier, Lameck said all was well in his marriage until his wife started accusing him of being promiscuous.

“He said he has not enjoyed his second marriage because of the fights and misunderstandings.

“I was married to another woman before I met her, but there is nothing between me and my first wife as we speak.

“Linda deserted our home due to the quarrels we have been having.

“I don’t know where she is at the moment,” Lameck said.

He peaded with the court to help him reconcile with his wife so that they could raise their child together.

Magistrate Kaputo Ng’andwe adjourned the case.

Metro

My Husband Gives Four Of Us Only N120 For Food —Wife

Published

7 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Editor

…I’m a labourer, can’t afford more – Husband

A Sharia Court sitting at Rigasa, Kaduna, Kaduna State, has dissolved a –one-year-old marriage, over the husband’s inability to provide for his wife.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the judge, Salisu Abubakar-Tureta, delivering judgment, granted the prayer of Mariya Zhulyadaini for divorce from Jamilu Hassan.

Mariya in her petition prayed the court for divorce because her husband did not provide her the three square meals.

“My husband gives me only N120 daily to feed four people since we got married in 2020,” she said.

On his part, Hassan, who also resides in Rigasa area told the court that he was a labourer.

“I do not earn much as a labourer.

“When I make money, I give her 1,500 or N2, 00 per day for feeding our children.”

Metro

I Lost My Wealth, Became Security Guard After My Wife Cursed Me, Man Tells Court

Published

8 hours ago

July 12, 2025

Editor

GRADE A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has heard the prayer of a man, Friday, who dragged his wife, Dinah, to court for divorce.

Friday, in his evidence, said his wife was in the habit of fighting him both at home and in public and later took to threatening him with a knife.

He added that she stopped cooking for him for three years and later abandoned him for 12 years.

Friday, in his evidence, further pleaded for their children’s custody, while he requested an order restricting his wife from threatening and interfering with his private life.

According to Nigerian Tribune, Dinah was in court on the day the case was mentioned, and she denied all the allegations brought against her.

She also refused that her husband had custody of their children.

The defendant refused to make an appearance on subsequent adjourned dates. Friday, in his testimony, said, “My wife is responsible for my ruin.

“She has a caustic tongue, while she is also fetish.

“She cursed me until my once lucrative business collapsed, and I had no other choice but to take up a job as a security guard.

“Dinah treated me with disregard and refused that I have a say in the home.

“She disobeyed my rules and regulations and would end up fighting me.

“My wife not only fought me at home, but also in the public thus embarrassing me.

“My wife did the worst when she started threatening me with knife any time we had a misunderstanding.

“She stopped cooking for me for about three years and later abandoned me for 12 years.

“She took our children to her sister, who has failed to give them adequate care. “My lord, I entreat this honourable court to also grant me custody of our children so that I can give them proper care.

“I, in addition, plead for an order restraining my wife from threatening and interfering with my private life.”

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, giving her judgment after she had heard the plaintiff, stated that the defendant was given ample opportunity to defend herself after her first appearance in court but that she decided not to make further appearance.

Ruling, Akintayo stated that there was no marriage to be dissolved because no customary marriage held between both parties.