Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the immediate past governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, who is on trial on ₦4bn money laundering charges proffered against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Leadership Newspaper reports that upon arraignment on Wednesday, Sylvanus Tahir, EFCC counsel, prayed the court to remand the defendant in custody pending the commencement of trial.
However, Onyinyechi Ikpeazu, Obiano’s counsel, asked the court to grant bail to his client.
Ruling on the applications, Ekwo held that the defendant should enjoy bail on the administrative terms granted earlier by the EFCC.
The court ordered that Obiano should be confined to the court jurisdiction and directed the EFCC to deposit the defendant’s travel documents with the court registrar.
The registrar is also instructed to notify the Nigerian Immigration Service about this development.
Leadership Newspaper further reports that at his arraignment Obiano pleaded not guilty to the nine charges of money laundering brought against him by the EFCC.
According to the charge, Obiano was said to have allegedly laundered the sum of N4,008,573,350.
He was said to have moved the amount from security votes into different bank accounts.
The offences were said to have been committed between March 2014 and March 2022 when he was governor of Anambra State.
When the charges were read to him, the former governor pleaded not guilty to all the nine counts.
Justice Ekwo then adjourned the matter to March 4, 2024.