Former Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, facing charges of embezzlement amounting to N40 billion, has contested the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to try him for alleged fraud crimes committed within Anambra State.
Obiano, represented by his lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu SAN, urged the court to decline jurisdiction and transfer the trial to Anambra State. He argued that the appropriate venue to determine the money laundering charges against him must be in Anambra.
The former governor, who served two terms in Anambra State, was arraigned before the court over allegations of embezzlement of state funds. At the recent proceedings, the EFCC lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, disclosed readiness to present three witnesses against Obiano.
However, Ikpeazu Onyechi filed a motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction, insisting it should be resolved before the trial commences. The EFCC lawyer acknowledged receipt of the motion but criticized it as a “blatant waste of time.”
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo intervened, instructing both parties to allow the court to decide on the motion’s merit. Consequently, the lawyers agreed to exchange processes related to the motion on Thursday, with the matter adjourned to March 7 for further determination.
Part of the charges against Obiano includes allegations of indirect transfer of funds from the Anambra State Government Security Vote Account to an unrelated entity.
Obiano is accused of dissipating funds for purposes unrelated to the state’s security affairs, violating the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
The trial underscores the legal battle shaping up around allegations of financial impropriety during Obiano’s tenure as governor.
Former Governor Willie Obiano
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