The first prosecution witness, Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, and the second prosecution witness, Mrs. Chinwe Patricia Ebunam, testified before Justice Inyang Ekwo in the Federal High Court, Abuja, about how the former Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, diverted N4bn in security votes to private companies.
This was posted on EFCC’s X handle on Wednesday, 26th June, 2024.
They revealed that funds from the state’s security votes’ account were diverted to multiple private entities during Obiano’s tenure.
Nnadi, a bank manager in Awka since June 2011, provided documents from his bank showing that several private companies, including Easy Diamond Integrated Links, C.I Patty Ventures Nigeria Limited, and Xpressive Consult Nig. Limited, benefited from the outflows of the state’s security votes’ account.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Sylvanus Tahir SAN, Nnadi detailed that the Anambra State Government under Obiano maintained several accounts with the bank, including the Statutory Revenue Account, Value Added Account, Consolidated Internal Generated Revenue Account, and Security Votes Account.
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Nnadi explained that the Security Votes Account was managed by Mr. Willie Nwokoye, the then Principal Secretary to the governor, and Theophilus Meize, the Accountant at the government house.
He stated that the account was funded weekly from various sources, especially the Consolidated Internal Revenue Account, with payments made to various entities based on advice from the account operators.
Nnadi submitted statements of account, certified true copies, a certificate of identification, and account opening packages to the Commission.
The prosecution tendered these documents, marked PW A1 to PW A794 and B1 to B432, and the court admitted them as evidence.
The testimonies and documents provided by the witnesses are crucial in the ongoing investigation and trial.
