By Ken Afor
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, granted bail to the immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, on Wednesday.
Obiano was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on nine count charges of alleged N4 billion fraud during his tenure as the governor of the South-East state from March 2014 to March 2022.
The former governor pleaded not guilty to the charges before Justice Ekwo.
However, counsel to the EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir, stated that he has 14 witnesses to testify against the former governor.
He requested that the former governor be remanded in the custody of the anti-graft agency.
Obiano is required to provide two sureties who are directors in the civil service and possess landed properties in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Justice Ekwo ordered that Obiano should remain within the FCT, and his travel documents should be submitted to the court.
It would be recalled that in March 2022, hours after Obiano handed over to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, he was arrested by the EFCC at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, while on his way out of the country to the United States of America.
Subsequently, he was placed on the watchlist of the anti-graft agency last November.
