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Two-count charge: Defendant pleads not guilty before Federal High Court
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Structured withdrawals: N61m allegedly withdrawn in tranches to evade reporting
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Bail granted: Court admits accused to N10m bond with Accountant-General as surety
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned an Ebonyi State government accountant, Obasi Sunday, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki over alleged money laundering offences involving N61 million.
Obasi, a staff member in the Office of the Accountant-General of Ebonyi State and a signatory to the Ebonyi State Government Shopping Mall Account domiciled with United Bank for Africa (UBA), was brought before Justice H. Oshomah of the Federal High Court, Abakaliki Judicial Division, on two counts.
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According to a statement by the ICPC spokesman, John Odey, the defendant allegedly withdrew N61 million from the government account in August 2020 in six tranches of N10 million and an additional N1 million to evade mandatory reporting requirements.
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The commission further alleged that within the same period, Obasi deposited N60,941,725 into the UBA account of Ikechukwu Obiukwu, a contractor to the Ebonyi State Government, in structured instalments of N10 million and N941,725, also to circumvent statutory reporting obligations.
The offences are said to contravene Section 19(1)(c) and are punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges upon arraignment.
Counsel to the ICPC, Agbili Kingsley, sought a date for the commencement of trial, while defence counsel, Michael Ngwu, moved a bail application which was not opposed by the prosecution.
The court admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety, who must be the Accountant-General of the state.
The surety is required to sign an undertaking to produce the defendant in court and attach two recent passport photographs. The defendant is also to sign a similar undertaking.
The case was adjourned to March 24 and 25, 2026, for the commencement of hearing.
The arraignment forms part of ongoing prosecutions by the ICPC targeting alleged financial misconduct among public officials in government ministries and agencies.