How We Supplied Obiano Cash from State’s Security Votes- Witnesses

The trial of Willie Obiano, former governor of Anambra State, continued on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja with two prosecution witnesses disclosing how they supplied Obiano  cash in both naira and dollars through his proxies.

 Ugochukwu Chinedu, Prosecution Witness, PW3, and a former banker  between November 2, 2008 to March 26, 2023, who was the account manager of the Anambra State Government accounts, including the state’s Security Vote account,  told the court that he usually delivered raw cash in both Naira and US dollars to Obiano in line with the instructions given to him by Willie Nwokoye and Theophilus Meize, Obiano’s former principal secretary and accountant at the state Government’s  House, respectively, who were signatories to the Security Votes account.

 "I usually processed transactions with the principal secretary, either daily or weekly, mostly using the instruments of cheques. I will go to his office on Fridays to balance the account. All the transactions I carried out were usually based on the instructions given to him by the account holders," he said.

In the same vein, Hayatu Hassan, a businessman and Prosecution Witness 4, (PW4), who operates five Bureau de Change companies, namely: Seltris BDC Limited, Seltris Limited,  Commaught International Services Limited, Holdall Limited,  and Norricelea Limited disclosed that he made a total sum of N222,371,000 (Two Hundred and Twenty-two Million, Three Hundred and Seventy-one Thousand) available in dollar equivalent to the Government of Anambra State under Obiano.

 " I sold the dollars to Ayuba Tanko, another BDC operator.  As soon as the transaction was done, I handed over the dollars to Ayuba Tanko. I didn’t know it was from the Anambra State Government," he said.

Justice Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter till October 7, 8, 9 and 10 for continuation of trial.

Obiano is facing prosecution by the EFCC on nine-count charges of embezzlement and money laundering to the tune of N4 billion. 

Dele Oyewale

Head,  Media & Publicity

June 26,  2024