The former Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Anamekwe Nwabuoku, has entered a plea bargain agreement with the EFCC over the alleged N1.6 billion fraud.

EFCC’s counsel, Ogechi Ujam, informed Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court upon the resumed hearing on Monday.

When the matter was called, Ms Ujam told the court that on the last adjourned date, Mr Nwabuoku and his co-defendant, Felix Nweke, had submitted a proposal for settlement.

She said the parties in the charge had agreed and that the agreement had been submitted to the EFCC’s chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for approval.

“So we are asking for a date to file our plea bargain agreement and amended charge,” the lawyer said.

Mr Nwabuoku’s lawyer, Isidal Udenko, and Emeka Onyeaka, who represented Mr Nweke, also admitted opting for a plea bargain.

Justice Omotosho subsequently adjourned the matter until December 2 for the adoption of the plea bargain agreement.

The anti-graft agency had preferred an 11-count money laundering charge against the duo.

Mr Nwabuoku and Mr Nweke, a former deputy director in the Ministry of Defence, are being prosecuted for alleged N1.6 billion money laundering offences.

While Mr Nwabuoku is the first defendant in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/240/24 dated May 20 and filed May 27 by Ekele Iheanacho, Mr Nweke is the second defendant.

They were alleged to have perpetrated the act while Mr Nwabuoku served as the director of finance and accounts in the Ministry of Defence between 2019 and 2021.

Mr Nwabuoku was appointed acting AGF on May 20, 2022, under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari after Ahmed Idris was suspended as AGF over alleged N80 billion fraud.

However, he was removed in July 2022, a few weeks after he assumed office.

Sylva Okolieaboh, a director at the Treasury Single Account (TSA) Department, replaced Mr Nwabuoku as acting AGF.

Mr Okolieaboh’s appointment followed a report that Mr Nwabuoku was under the radar of EFCC over corruption allegations.

The ex-AGF and his co-defendants had, on July 10, begged the court to give them more time to conclude the refund of the public funds allegedly siphoned.

They prayed the judge to halt their arraignment until another date to perfect the refund.

(NAN)