The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced the conviction and sentencing of Chukwunyere Nwabuoku, a former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), to 72 years imprisonment over fraud and money laundering involving N868.46 million. The commission disclosed this on its X handle on Monday, stating that Nwabuoku was prosecuted at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of money laundering by Justice James Omotosho.

Nwabuoku was formally arraigned on January 15, 2025, on nine amended counts of money laundering and fraud amounting to N868.4 million. He was appointed acting AGF in May 2022 by then President Muhammadu Buhari, following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over an alleged N80 billion fraud. However, he was removed from the position in July 2022, barely weeks after assuming office, due to reports that he was under EFCC investigation.

In its case, the EFCC accused Nwabuoku of conspiring with several companies, including Temero Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited, to convert funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. Part of the charges also covered the alleged laundering of about N86 million while he served as director of finance and accounts at the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021. The alleged offences contravene section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012), and are punishable under section 15(3) of the Act.

During the trial, the prosecution called nine witnesses, including a Zenith Bank staff member Eucharia Ezeodi and a director in the federal civil service Felix Nweke. Nwabuoku had filed a no-case submission, which was dismissed by the court in November 2025. Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho held that the EFCC had proved the nine-count charge beyond a reasonable doubt. He convicted Nwabuoku on all counts and sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment on each count, totaling a cumulative 72 years. The court ordered that the sentences run concurrently, and there was no option of a fine.

Justice Omotosho described Nwabuoku’s act of diverting funds meant for security and defence as “appalling” and commended the EFCC for its meticulous prosecution of the case. He also noted that the evidence showed Nwabuoku voluntarily refunded over N200 million during the investigation, a fact not challenged by the defence. Earlier in the trial, Nwabuoku had been granted bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.