Appeal Court upholds Nwabuoku’s N868.46 million money laundering conviction

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction of former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, in the N868.46 million money laundering case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Ele-Ojo Enenche delivered the lead judgment on Friday, November 13, 2026, and dismissed Nwabuoku’s appeal against the Federal High Court judgment presided over by Justice James Omotosho.

What the appellate court ruled

The EFCC said Justice Enenche “held that the appeal lacked merit after resolving all four issues raised for determination against the appellant.” The Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s judgment, which convicted Nwabuoku on all nine counts of money laundering. It agreed with the EFCC that his extra-judicial statements were made voluntarily. It also held that the lower court had thoroughly and correctly evaluated the evidence against the appellant, and that the EFCC discharged the burden of proof required by law and established its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court further “affirmed that the Commission possessed the requisite statutory powers to investigate and prosecute the offences.” The appeal was dismissed for lacking merit.

The charge and the trial

The EFCC prosecuted Nwabuoku on a nine-count amended charge involving N868,465,000. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and the anti-graft agency called nine witnesses. EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), argued that the alleged offences fell under Section 15 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended). He said evidence showed funds were paid to four companies described as “front companies” without any lawful transactions with the Ministry of Defence. Defence counsel, Norrison I. Quakers (SAN), countered in a no-case submission that the EFCC lacked jurisdiction to prosecute the matter. Justice Omotosho dismissed the no-case submission and ordered Nwabuoku to open his defence. The trial judge had held that the EFCC proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and described the diversion of public funds meant for security and defence as “appalling.”

Refund, forfeiture and background

Nwabuoku had earlier refunded N220 million and surrendered a duplex linked to him to the EFCC following investigations into alleged advance fee fraud. The disclosure was made in an ex parte non-conviction motion marked FHC/ABJ/177/2024 filed before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The motion sought an interim order freezing several bank accounts allegedly connected to the former AGF. The EFCC said the refund and forfeiture followed ongoing investigations into financial dealings linked to him. The forfeiture proceedings were separate but related to the broader allegations before Justice Omotosho. In May 2026, Justice Mohammed Umar held that depositions by both the EFCC legal team and Nwabuoku in the forfeiture case confirmed a pending criminal case before Justice James Omotosho. He advised that the EFCC could return with a similar application after the criminal trial concluded, since the properties sought to be forfeited formed part of the charges. Nwabuoku was appointed Acting Accountant-General of the Federation by former President Muhammadu Buhari on May 22, 2022, pending the outcome of investigations into the suspended AGF, Ahmed Idris. He was subsequently arraigned by the EFCC.

The ruling closes one appellate stage in a case involving public funds meant for security and defence. It keeps attention on how such funds move through private companies and how anti-graft cases proceed through trial and appeal.