Court fixes date for Obiano’s trial over N4bn fraud

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has announced a date for the trial of former Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano in the alleged N4 billion money laundering case.

The court, on Thursday, July 24, fixed November 25, 2025, for Obiano’s trial.

The court adjourned the case after the new trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, rose after taking three judgements and a number of cases on the cause list.

The nine-count charge preferred against the former governor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was recently re-assigned to Justice Umar.

The former judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, had fixed May 26 for the continuation of trial before the case was re-assigned to Justice Umar by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, via a statement issued on May 18.

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However, on May 26, Justice Umar, who was transferred from the Enugu judicial division of the court, did not sit and the case was fixed for July 24 for mention.

Obiano served as Anambra governor between March 2014 and March 2022.

The former governor, in the charge, was alleged to have, among others, misappropriated over N4 billion from the state’s treasury.

It would be recalled that the EFCC’s lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), led two witnesses in evidence in the trial of the ex-governor on October 7, 2024, before Justice Ekwo.

A former commercial bank staff, Ugochukwu Otubelu, also revealed how he managed the security vote account under Obiano’s government.

The Star