KEY POINTS

• ICPC arraigned an Ebonyi State government accountant over alleged N61 million money-laundering transactions.
• Prosecutors claim he structured withdrawals and deposits to evade mandatory financial reporting rules.
• The court granted him N10 million bail and fixed March 24–25, 2026, for trial.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has arraigned Obasi Sunday, an accountant with the Ebonyi State Office of the Accountant-General, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, over alleged money-laundering activities involving N61 million.

According to the Commission, Obasi, who was a signatory to a government shopping mall account held with United Bank for Africa carried out a series of structured withdrawals designed to bypass financial reporting thresholds required by law.

In a statement issued by ICPC spokesperson John Odey, prosecutors alleged that in August 2020 the defendant withdrew N61 million from the government account in six instalments of N10 million each and an additional N1 million. Investigators claim the staggered pattern was deliberately arranged to evade statutory monitoring and reporting systems.

The Commission further alleged that within the same period, Obasi deposited N60,941,725 into an account belonging to a contractor linked to the Ebonyi State Government, also in instalments structured to avoid detection.

Obasi Pleads Not Guilty, Granted Bail

At arraignment, Obasi pleaded not guilty to both charges. Counsel for the prosecution requested a trial date, while defence counsel applied for bail, an application that was not opposed.

The court granted bail in the sum of N10 million with strict conditions, including:

• A surety who must be the Accountant-General of Ebonyi State
• A written undertaking guaranteeing the defendant’s appearance in court
• Submission of recent passport photographs from both the defendant and surety

The case was adjourned until March 24 and 25, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

The arraignment reflects a wider pattern of prosecutions involving senior government officials by the anti-corruption agency.

In a separate case earlier this year, the Commission charged a deputy director of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission before a court in Maitama, Abuja, over alleged forgery-related offences.

Authorities say these prosecutions underscore ongoing efforts to strengthen financial accountability and enforce compliance with anti-corruption laws across public institutions.