The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has upheld the 72-year prison sentence imposed on a former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, for laundering N868.465 million.
The appellate court, in a unanimous decision delivered on Friday, November 13, 2026, dismissed Nwabuoku’s appeal challenging his conviction on nine counts of money laundering prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Ele-Ojo Enenche, who delivered the lead judgment on behalf of a three-member panel, held that the appeal lacked merit, resolving all four issues raised by the appellant against him.
The court affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had convicted Nwabuoku on all nine counts and sentenced him to 72 years’ imprisonment for the offences.
On the voluntariness of his extra-judicial statements, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the EFCC, holding that evidence before it established that the statements were voluntarily obtained.
The appellate court also dismissed the appellant’s argument that the trial court failed to properly evaluate the evidence, affirming that the lower court thoroughly and correctly assessed the evidence presented by the prosecution.
Similarly, it held that the EFCC had successfully established its case beyond reasonable doubt on all nine counts, while dismissing Nwabuoku’s challenge to the Commission’s statutory powers to investigate and prosecute the offences.
Consequently, the court dismissed the appeal and affirmed the conviction and sentence imposed by the Federal High Court. EFCC counsel, Ekele Ihenacho, SAN, who led the Commission’s legal team, commended the court for upholding justice.
Nwabuoku was initially convicted and sentenced to 72 years’ imprisonment on March 23, 2026, by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, following his prosecution by the anti-graft agency.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, the former Acting Accountant-General approached the Court of Appeal to challenge his conviction. Through his counsel, N.I. Quakers, SAN, he also filed an application for bail on May 8, 2026, citing deteriorating health and the need for medical attention beyond the facilities available at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.
However, the EFCC opposed the application, arguing in a counter-affidavit filed on May 25, 2026, that the offences involved substantial public funds allegedly meant for national security and the fight against insurgency.
The Commission further warned that granting bail under the circumstances could undermine public confidence in the fight against corruption, money laundering and the misuse of public resources. The court subsequently dismissed the bail application for lacking in merit.
With Friday’s ruling, the Court of Appeal has reaffirmed Nwabuoku’s conviction and 72-year jail term, bringing another major legal victory for the EFCC in its prosecution of the former senior government official.
