Amid tight security, EFCC arraigns Obiano on alleged N4bn money laundering charges

Tamarauemi Ebimini

Amid water-tight security, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned the former governor of Anambra State, Willie Maduabuchi Obiano on charges concerning money laundering and financial crime.

Obiano who dressed in a Navy Blue suit with a back cap to match was escorted into the courtroom by more than ten EFCC operatives.

He was driven into the court premises around 8:00 am in an 18-seater Toyota Bus marked ABC 573 KQ and kept inside the vehicle for some minutes before being moved into the courtroom.

Inside the courtroom, he was sandwiched between four EFCC operatives who were preventing his followers including a traditional ruler and sympathizers from accessing him.

Obiano was arraigned for a 9-count corruption charge involving alleged N4Bn brought against him by the Federal Government through EFCC.

The alleged money laundered is to the tune of N4,008,573,350. He was said to have moved the amount from security votes into different accounts.

The offences were said to have been committed between March 2014 and March 2022.

The immediate-past governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, pleaded not guilty to the nine charges of money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.