The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today arraigned a former Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji and four others before Justice Lilian Abai of the Abia State High Court sitting in Umuahia on a 16- count charge bordering on money laundering.
The trial commenced on Friday before Justice Lilian Abai at the Abia State High Court in Umuahia, with the defendants facing a 16-count charge related to the alleged misappropriation of N60.85 billion.
The charges stem from a long-standing investigation into financial irregularities during Orji’s tenure as governor between 2007 and 2015. The EFCC had previously interrogated the former governor over allegations of diverting state funds, including security votes, infrastructure allocations, and Paris Club refunds.
Chinedum Orji, who served as the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, was also under investigation for allegedly benefiting from illicit financial transactions linked to his father’s administration.
This arraignment follows years of legal proceedings and anti-corruption probes targeting former state officials. The EFCC had earlier invited the Orjis for questioning and traced several suspicious transactions to their accounts.
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At the court hearing, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the case was adjourned for further proceedings.
In January, an Abuja Federal High Court ordered the interim forfeiture of ₦228.4 million tied to the former governor.
EFCC claimed the funds, housed in a Keystone Bank account under Effdee Nigeria Ltd, are suspected to be proceeds of illegal activities.
Justice Emeka Nwite instructed the EFCC to make the forfeiture order public, giving interested parties 14 days to present reasons why the funds should not be permanently seized by the government.
