Anamekwe Nwabuoku, a former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) who is accused of money laundering, has a case to answer, a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on Thursday.
As a result, the court scheduled November 24 for the former AGF to present his defense against the accusation that he embezzled around N1.96 billion from the national treasury, according to a ruling by Justice James Omotosho.
Additionally, the defendant filed a no-case motion to be released and found not guilty, but the court rejected it.
The court determined that the evidence presented to it, along with the testimony of nine witnesses called by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), constituted a prima facie case that would necessitate an answer from the defendant.
“The prosecution established sufficient ground for which the defendant must enter his defense to the charge or offer a rebuttal of some sort.
“This does not mean that this court has found the defendant guilty, but it is for him to exhaust the opportunity to clear himself. The defendant needs to give some explanations regarding all the exhibits and evidence of witnesses. The right to defend himself is a constitutional one.
“The defendant needs to give evidence regarding his connection with the money he was alleged to have laundered. The court is inclined to give him the opportunity to make some explanations,” Justice Omotosho added.
The court adjourned additional proceedings until November 24 and 25 as well as December 9 in response to the defendant’s request for an adjournment so that he could prepare his defense.
