The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned Obasi Sunday, a staff member of the Ebonyi State Accountant-General’s Office, before the Federal High Court in Abakaliki, the stae capital, over alleged money laundering involving N61 million.
In a statement on Monday, ICPC spokesperson John Odey noted that Mr Obasi, a signatory to the Ebonyi State Government Shopping Mall Account with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), was arraigned on Thursday (19 February).
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He appeared before a judge, H. I. O. Oshomah, on two counts filed by the ICPC.
The statement alleged that Mr Obasi withdrew a total of N61 million from a government account in August 2020 in structured tranches of N10 million and N1 million, intending to evade mandatory reporting requirements.
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He also allegedly deposited N60,941,725 into the UBA account of Ikechukwu Obiukwu, a government contractor, in structured instalments to avoid statutory reporting obligations.
The statement explained that the offences contravene Section 19(1)(c) and are punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Mr Obasi pleaded not guilty to both counts.
Following his arraignment, the court granted him bail on N10 million bond, with a surety in the person of the Accountant-General of the state. The surety and the defendant are also to give written undertakings to appear in court with two recent passport photographs attached.
The court fixed 24 and 25 March for trial.
Pattern of state-level fraud
The Ebonyi State’s case is part of a recurring trend of alleged financial misconduct by senior state officials across Nigeria.
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In April 2025, the EFCC arraigned the Bauchi State Accountant-General and others over N8.3 billion fraud.
In January, former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his Finance Commissioner faced trial over alleged misuse of N5.78 billion in UBEC grants intended for education infrastructure.
Also, in December 2024, the EFCC arrested Delta State Accountant-General Joy Enwa over alleged misappropriation of N1.3 trillion linked to the administration of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, including portions of the 13 percent derivation allocation for oil-producing states.
These cases spotlighted systemic weaknesses in state financial management, with structured cash withdrawals, diversion of public funds, and money laundering emerging as persistent challenges across the country.
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