A former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, has been sentenced to 72 years in prison for diverting N868.46 million meant for security purposes.
The judgment was delivered on Monday by James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who found the defendant guilty on all nine counts of money laundering filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the court, the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, leading to Nwabuoku’s conviction on all charges.
Justice Omotosho sentenced him to eight years imprisonment on each of the nine counts, amounting to a total of 72 years. However, the court ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
The judge described the diversion of funds earmarked for national security and defence—committed during Nwabuoku’s tenure as Director of Finance and Accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021—as “appalling.”
He also commended the EFCC for its thorough investigation and prosecution, noting that evidence presented showed the defendant had voluntarily refunded over N200 million during the investigation—an assertion that was not challenged by the defence.
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