Anamekwe Nwabuoku, a former acting Accountant-General of the Federation, pleaded with Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday to give him more time to conclude the refund of the public funds looted by him and his co-defendant.
Nwabuoku and his co-defendant, Felix Nweke, are facing 11 counts of money laundering to the tune of N1.6bn.
They are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Nwabuoku and his co-defendant were accused of committing the act, while Nwabuoku served as the Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/24 dated May 20 and filed on May 27 by EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, Nwabuoku is the first defendant, and Nweke is the second defendant.
Nwabuoku was appointed acting AGoF on May 20, 2022, by former President Muhammadu Buhari after Ahmed Idris was suspended as AGF over alleged N80bn fraud.
However, he was removed in July 2022, a few weeks after assuming office.
When the case was called on Wednesday, the defendants prayed to the court to stop their arraignment until another date to perfect the refund.
Emeka Onyeaka, Nweke’s lawyer, informed the court that there was a new development in the case.
He informed the court that his client had taken steps towards settling the matter.
The lawyer mentioned that Nweke had made substantial refunds of the money traced to him by the anti-graft agency.
“The second defendant has taken steps, as there is a communication to the commission via-a-vs. the alleged offences on making a refund.
“The commission is in receipt of the money and promised to communicate to us,” he said.
The defence lawyer stated that upon being served with the charge, “We communicated with the commission, and we were asked to tarry for their administrative procedure.”
He added that since a substantial amount had been refunded, if his client was arraigned, such action would affect the trial.
He prayed for the court to grant them an adjournment to take further steps on the administrative procedure.
Maduakolam Igwe, who appeared for Nwabuoku, agreed with Onyeaka’s submission.
Igwe stated that his client had equally taken the same steps and that a substantial amount had been refunded.
“We have written to the commission on this. The first defendant has also made some refunds.
“May I adopt the submission of my learner friend to tidy up the administrative procedure?” he corroborated.
However, the counsel who represented the EFCC, Ogechi Ujam, acknowledged that though the commission was in receipt of a proposal letter, she said, “No negotiation has been made, no settlement has been done, and no agreement has been reached by parties.
