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EFCC Opens Money Laundering Case Against Former Anambra Gov, Obiano With Two Witnesses

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Willie Obiano

The alleged money laundering case filed against the former governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, was on Tuesday, opened by the antigraft agency, with two witnesses that testified before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Obiano, who piloted the affairs of Anambra State from March 2014 to March 2022, is facing a nine-count charge the anti-graft agency preferred against him.

The EFCC had among other things, alleged that the erstwhile governor looted over N4 billion from the treasury of the state.

It told the court that the funds were siphoned from Anambra State’s Security Vote Account, converted into dollars and handed to the defendant in cash.

At the resumed proceeding in the matter, the Commission presented a banker, Mr. Tochukwu Aloysius Nnadi, as its first prosecution witness, PW-1.

Nnadi, told the court that he was a bank manager at Awka, the capital of Anambra state.

Narrating what he knew about the case, the witness said he and others manage customers accounts and interface with various security and anti-graft agencies in terms of enquiry on a customer’s account.

“We usually comply by providing the requested information.

“I know the defendant in this matter. He is the immediate past governor of Anambra state.

“In April 2022, I was informed by our compliance unit that I was needed at EFCC in respect of activities of the past administration of Anambra state.

“I went there with two of my colleagues. The EFCC told me that my invitation was in respect of an ongoing investigation.

“I was told that it was because I was the manager of the branch that handled most of the financial activities of the then state government.

“The state government maintains various accounts with our bank and one of such accounts was for security votes.

There was really nothing special about the security votes account. It was like every other account that we managed for the state government.

“The account was mostly funded by the office of the Accountant General of the state and bulk of the funds came from Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the state.

“Payments into the account was made on weekly basis and all transactions out of the account were always based on the advice of the account operators.

“The payments we made out of the account were to various entities and corporate organisations.

“We supplied documents containing names of all the beneficiaries,bto the EFCC,” the witness added.

However, he declined request by the prosecution counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, to mention names of some of the beneficiaries in the open court, saying it would amount to a breach of his “oath of secrecy.”



“The accounts were mostly funded every week. Cash withdrawals, Manager’s cheques, transfers and drafts were instruments that were used to remove the funds, based on instructions from the operators of the accounts.

“Some of the documents I submitted to the EFCC, included the certified true copy of the statements of account, cover letter for the statements of account, packages used to open the account, as well as certificates of identification for each of the accounts,” the PW-1 told the court. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Meanwhile, the bundle of documents from the bank, totaling 794 pages, were tendered and admitted in evidence by the court as Exhibit PW-1 (A1- A 794)

Another bundle of documents dated June 1, 2023, showing the debits that were made from the accounts, were also admitted in evidence.

The defence lawyer, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, said his client would reserve his objections to the Exhibits and raise them in his final address.

When the witness was asked to read to the court, from the exhibit, some of the names on the list of beneficiaries of funds that were transferred out of the account, he mentioned; Moment of Peace Ventures, Easy Diamond Integrated Links and Nasda Ventures.

Answering questions under cross examination, the PW-1 told the court that all the transactions that involved his bank, were done in compliance with the mandate on each account.

He said the mandates were also in accordance with the banking practice.

Shortly after Nnadi concluded his evidence and was dismissed, an Onitsha-based business woman, Mrs. Chinwe Patricia Egbunam, mounted the box and testified in the matter.

Mrs. Egbunam told the court that she is a trader that specialized in “Turkey wears.”

She told the court that she had on May 20, received a call that she was needed at the EFCC office over some money passed through the account of her company, C.I. Party Ventures Nigeria Limited.

“When I got to the EFCC, I told them that did not know anything about the money but that I knew that I told my account officer, Mr. Ugochukwu Otibelu, to help me to upgrade my account to enable me to meet requirement of the embassy of Turkey.

“It was to upgrade the account it to enable me to be able to travel and the upgrade was for him to help me and post money into my account.

“My account officer accepted my request and collected my company account and cheque.

“However, at the EFCC, I was told that about N156. 8million passed through my account from the Anambra State Government.”

While being cross-examined, the witness told the court that the arrangement was for her account officer to facilitate the inflow of funds into her company’s account.

She told the court that she did not touch the money that was wired into the account as it did not belong to her.

More so, the witness told the court that the directors of the company account were her family members.



“Outside the fact that the defendant was the governor of Anambra State, I never had any dealings with him.”

Asked to tell the court about the security situation in the state while Obiano held sway as hovernor, the witness said: “I currently stay in Anambra. There is usually no movement in the state every Monday because of a sit-at-home order.

“I know ESN and IPOB and they operate fully in Anambra state.

“During the tenure of the defendant, there was serious insecurity in Anambra state and I know that the government worked with organizations and churches to maintain peace in the state.

“This was because churches, organizations and even mosques were under threat during that period,” the witness added.

Trial Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned further hearing in the matter till Wednesday.

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Leaked Video Exposes Russian Commander Forcing Soldiers into Fight to the Death in War Punishment Pit –

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A disturbing video has surfaced online, supposedly showing a Russian commander forcing two of his own soldiers to fight each other to the death. This happened after the soldiers refused to join the war in Ukraine. The shocking scene is believed to have taken place in the Donbas region, which is under Russian control. The footage, though not yet verified, has spread across Russian social media and has shocked many viewers.

The commander, known only by his nickname “Kama,” reportedly made the two men fight in what he called a “gladiator-style battle.” According to reports, he told them that whoever won the fight would be set free. Fellow officers from their military unit, the 114th Motorised Rifle Brigade, are said to have placed bets on who would survive. A witness claimed that one of the soldiers ended up killing the other by choking him with his bare hands.

Both of the men had apparently refused to follow orders to fight in the war, which is why they were punished. Russian sources call such soldiers “refuseniks.” It’s believed that soldiers who resist or try to escape their duties are being locked up in underground pits, known as “punishment pits” or “zindans.” This brutal punishment is said to be happening more often, especially in army units that have lost many men during battles in the Donetsk area.

People on Russian social media reacted with horror after watching the video. One person commented that while it’s better for Russian soldiers to fight each other than to harm Ukrainians, the situation is still extremely disturbing and shows just how brutal the Russian army has become. Another user said this kind of cruelty isn’t rare in the Russian military and that without proper investigations, their justice system is meaningless.

One of the most alarming parts of the story is that these punishments are not new. Human rights groups and Russian journalists have already reported cases of beatings, mock killings, and torture being used against Russian soldiers who don’t obey orders. Many of these soldiers are imprisoned in basements or cages without a trial, sometimes for weeks, given barely any food or water. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

A lot of the soldiers in these units are either former prisoners, people forced into military service, or untrained volunteers from poor areas of Russia. These groups have suffered heavy losses in the war, especially during Russia’s large-scale attacks on strong Ukrainian defenses. This strategy, where poorly equipped troops are sent forward in huge numbers, has been called a “meatgrinder” by war analysts.

One recent example is the battle in Avdiivka, where thousands of Russian troops died just to gain a small amount of land. Now, a similar situation is starting near Chasiv Yar. These risky and costly operations are often led by lower-ranking commanders like Kama, who are allowed to use any method they want to keep soldiers under control, even if it means using fear or violence.

The Russian government has not responded to this video or the growing reports of illegal punishments in its army. Investigations into these kinds of abuses rarely happen, and the commanders responsible are almost never punished. Without outside pressure or public attention, such brutal treatment is likely to continue unchecked.

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Donald Trump leaves people baffled after seemingly taking credit for historical event and claiming he ‘invented’ common word –

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Donald Trump has once again left people scratching their heads after making two strange and surprising claims within a single day. First, he seemed to take some credit for the historic election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American to become Pope. Then, in an unrelated moment, he oddly claimed that he invented the word “equalize,” despite the word being centuries old.

After the recent death of Pope Francis, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was chosen as the new Pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. In response, Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, congratulating the new Pope and saying it was “a great honor” for the United States. He even said he was looking forward to meeting Pope Leo, calling it a “very meaningful moment.”

But what really raised eyebrows was Trump’s follow-up message, where he implied that he somehow influenced the Pope’s election. He mocked ABC News journalist Martha Raddatz, accusing her of being “Trump-deranged” for suggesting he had nothing to do with the Pope’s rise. Trump argued that since he had won the Catholic vote by a large margin, his popularity may have played a role in Pope Leo’s appointment—though he gave no evidence for such a claim.

Then, during a White House press event about prescription drug pricing, Trump made another bizarre statement. While explaining how his plan would make Americans pay similar prices to those in other countries, he said, “Basically what we’re doing is equalizing. It’s a new word that I came up with… We’re gonna equalize.” He claimed it was the “best word” to describe the situation, seemingly unaware that “equalize” has been in the English language for over 400 years. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

The word “equalize” actually dates back to at least the year 1599, according to dictionaries. It has been used in everyday speech, literature, and even pop culture  like the 1980s TV series The Equalizer long before Trump was in office.

Social media users didn’t hold back their reactions. One person joked, “There was a TV show in the 80s named The Equalizer. Did he invent the word in 1983 and is just reminiscing?” Another commented, “If he made it up, how does everyone already know what it means?” And a third mocked the claim by saying, “Horses**t a word I just came up with, never used by anyone ever!”

While Trump’s supporters often appreciate his confidence and boldness, these latest claims have once again sparked laughter, disbelief, and plenty of memes online.

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Why’ Donald Trump wore blue suit at Pope’s funeral as he’s slammed for having ‘no respect –

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Religious and political leaders from all over the world came together on Saturday, April 26, for the funeral of Pope Francis. One thing that caught a lot of attention was Donald Trump’s choice of clothing. Many people were shocked and upset because Trump showed up wearing a blue suit, while it is normally expected for people to wear black to a funeral as a sign of respect and mourning.

At funerals, especially ones as significant as a Pope’s, the tradition is to wear black. It shows that you are honoring the life of the person who passed away and sharing in the sadness. So, it would be natural to expect everyone at the Vatican that day to stick to this tradition.

However, Trump, who recently returned to office, wore a blue suit. His wife, Melania Trump, followed the tradition and dressed in black, even though it was her 55th birthday. People online quickly noticed and began criticizing Trump for what they saw as disrespectful behavior. Many accused him of breaking the funeral’s dress code and showing a lack of class…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

 

One person asked why Trump didn’t wear black like everyone else. Another said that while watching the funeral coverage on BBC News, they noticed Trump standing out in his blue suit while everyone around him wore black, calling it a sign of “no class.” Someone else simply said Trump showed “no respect.”

To be fair to Trump, he wasn’t the only person who chose to wear blue. Prince William and Indian President Droupadi Murmu also wore blue suits. This suggests that there might have been a reason behind their choice, and that it wasn’t just Trump trying to be different or disrespectful. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

While Trump was reportedly unhappy about having a less important seat at the funeral, it turns out he wasn’t really breaking any formal rules with his clothing. Catholics have pretty clear expectations when it comes to funeral clothing—dark suits, black ties, and dark buttons on their jackets—but these rules don’t apply as strictly to people from other religions or Christian denominations. Trump identifies as a non-denominational Christian, Prince William is from the Church of England, and President Murmu is Hindu. Because they are not Catholic, they might have felt it was acceptable to wear dark blue instead of black.

Sky News explained that the suggested dress code for men attending the funeral was a dark suit with a black tie and a black button on the lapel of their jacket. A white shirt underneath was fine.

Even though Pope Francis was known for being more relaxed and open to doing things differently, it’s possible he would have hoped that Trump would at least wear a darker suit. After all, the two had clashed in the past, particularly when Pope Francis criticized Trump’s 2016 campaign idea of building a wall between the US and Mexico.

In the end, Trump’s choice to wear blue might not have been about making a statement or being disrespectful. Given that other world leaders made similar choices, it seems he had a legitimate excuse this time around, even if it didn’t sit well with everyone watching.

 

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