Appeal court rejects ex-Accountant-General Nwabuoku’s bail bid over ₦868m fraud

The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has rejected an application for bail made by Anamekwe Nwabuoku, a former Acting Accountant General of the Federation.

Nwabuoku is presently incarcerated following his conviction by a Federal High Court in Abuja in a case bordering on money laundering and fraud worth N868.4 million.

Justice James Omotosho convicted and sentenced the former federal government official to serve 72 years in prison following a trial in which he was found guilty of the charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The trial judge ruled that EFCC was able to prove their case beyond all reasonable doubt.

Now, with the ruling of the Appeal Court, Nwabuoku would continue to be in jail pending the determination of his appeal against his conviction.

All nine counts on which the case was tried were convicted and Nwabuoku was each time sentenced to spend eight years in jail on all the nine counts.

According to Omotosho, the cumulative sentences of seven years will run concurrently.

According to a statement issued by the EFCC on Friday, Nwabuoku, represented by his lawyer, Norrison Quakers, appealed the judgment on May 8.

He informed that his health was deteriorating and he needed more than the medical services provided by the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, which was the official medical center meant for the inmates of the Kuje Correctional Center.

But the Counsel to the EFCC filed a counter affidavit on May 25 saying the offenses committed by Nwabuoku involved high level corruption that made it difficult for the government to fight the insecurity in the nation.

The counsel pointed out that there was no medical evidence placed before the court showing that the appellant could not continue getting treatment including the surgery at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.

According to Iheanacho, his confinement in the Kuje prison and the medical examination of the appellant at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital demonstrated that the correctional center was concerned about his medical status and not withholding any medical service from him.

The Counsel further submitted that the grant of the bail to the appellant while his case was pending would affect the integrity of criminal justice administration in the country.

“Granting bail to the appellant/applicant in the circumstances of this case would send a wrong signal to the public and undermine confidence in the fight against corruption, money laundering and the misuse of public funds earmarked for national security,” he said.

On Friday, a three-member panel of the appeal court, led by Adebukola Banjoko, dismissed Nwabuoku’s bail application for lack of merit.