By Abiola Olawale
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former Abia State Governor Theodore Orji and four others before the Abia State High Court in Umuahia presided over by Chief Judge Justice Lilian Abai.
The New Diplomat reports that the ongoing legal case centres on an alleged N47 billion fraud, with the defendants facing a 16-count charge related to conspiracy, theft, and the illegal conversion of public funds intended for various state programs.
Alongside Theodore Orji, other defendants include his son, Chinedum Orji, former Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly); Dr Philip Nto, former Abia state Commissioner of Finance; Obioma King, a government contractor, and Romanus Madu, a former Director of Finance for Abia State.
In the lawsuit, the EFCC alleged that between 2011 and 2015, the defendants misappropriated N22.5 billion allocated as security votes.
Additionally, they are accused of allegedly stealing N13 billion from a loan facility granted by Diamond Bank and illegally converting N12 billion from the Paris Club refund.
The prosecution further claimed that N2 billion from Central Bank of Nigeria funds earmarked for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) was allegedly diverted by the defendants during the same period.
These actions, according to the EFCC, violated sections of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State, including provisions on conspiracy and theft.
During the arraignment, the lead prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), requested that the charges be read to the defendants, all of whom pleaded not guilty.
Defence counsels, including Bode Olanipekun (SAN) representing Theodore Orji, and others such as Chikaosulu Ojukwu (SAN), K.I. Oleh, Okey Amechi, and Isaac Anya moved for bail on behalf of their clients.
Pinheiro did not oppose the bail applications, leaving the decision to the court’s discretion.
Justice Abai then granted bail to each defendant in the sum of N50 million and adjourned the case to June 18 and 19, 2025, for the trial to commence.
Theodore Orji, who served as Abia State Governor from 2007 to 2015 and later as a senator for Abia Central from 2015 to 2023, has faced scrutiny from the EFCC for years.
According to the EFCC, the arraignment follows a history of investigations into his administration, including a 2018 interrogation over an alleged N27 billion fraud and earlier probes into alleged mismanagement of state funds.
