By Nkechi Eze
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Friday February 28, 2025 arraigned a former governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji.
The former governor was arraigned alongside Engr. Chinedum Orji, Dr. Philip Nto, Onwumene King Obioma and Romanus K. Madu before Justice Lilian Abai of the Abia State High Court sitting in Umuahia on a 16- count charge bordering on money laundering.
Count One Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Philip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu,sometime in 2015 in Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired among yourselves to commit unlawful acts to wit, stealing and conversion of the sum of N2,000,000,000.00 (Two Billion Naira Only) being the proceeds of the Central Bank of Nigeria Funds for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) allocated to Abia State and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provision of Section 516 and 516(A) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Two Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Phillip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime ni 2015 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court stole and converted the sum of N2,000,000,000.00 •(Two Billion Naira Only) being the proceeds of the Central Bank of Nigeria Funds for Smal and Medium Enterprises (SME) allocated to Abia State and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provision of Section 390 (5) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Three Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Philip Nto, ONWÜMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu ,sometime ni 2015 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed unlawful acts of official corruption and abuse of the office to the tune of A2,000,000,000.00 (Two Bilion Naira Only) being the proceeds of the Central Bank of Nigeria Funds for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) allocated to Abia State and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provision of Sections 98 and 104of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Four Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, D.r Philip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime ni 2013 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired among yourselves to commit unlawful acts to wit stealing and conversion of the sum of $850,000,000.00 (Eight Hundred and Fifty Milion Naira Only) being the funds allocated to Abia State, for ecological projects and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provision of Section 516 and 516(A) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Five Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Philip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime ni 2013 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed unlawful acts of stealing and conversion of the sum of A850,000,000.00 (Eight Hundred and Fifty Milion Naira Only) being the funds allocated to Abia State for ecological projects and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provision of Section 390 (5) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Six Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Phillip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA a n d Romanus K. Madu,sometime ni 2014-2015 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed unlawful acts of official corruption and
abuse of the office to the tune of A850,000,000.00 (Eight Hundred and Fifty Milion Naira Only) being, the funds allocated to Abia State for ecological projects and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provision of Sections 98 and 104of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State
Count Seven Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Philip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime between 2011 and 2015 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired among yourselves to commit unlawful acts to wit, stealing and conversion. ot the tune of A22,500,000,000.00 (Twenty-Two Bilion, Five Hundred Milion Naira Only) being the funds allocated to the Abia State Government as security votes and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provision of Sections 516 and 516(A) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Eight Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, D.rPhilip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime between 2011 and 2015 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court stole and converted a sum of N22,500,000,000.00 (Twenty-Two Billion, Five Hundred Milion Naira Only) being the funds allocated to the Abia State Government as security votes and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provision of Section 390 (5) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Nine Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, D.r Philip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime between 2011 and 2015 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed unlawful acts of official corruption and abuse of the office to the tune of N22,500,000,000.00 (Twenty-Two Bilion, Five Hundred Milion Naira Only) being the funds allocated to the Abia State Government as security votes and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provision of Sections 98 and 104 of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Ten Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, D.r Phillip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus. K. Madu, sometime between 2010 and 201 in Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired among yourselves to commit unlawful acts to wit, stealing and conversion of the sum of N12,000,000,000.00 (Twelve Bilion Naira Only) being the funds due to Abia State from the Paris Club Refund and thereby committed an offence contrary.
Count Eleven Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, D.r Philip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime between 2010 and 201 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court stolé and converted a sum of N12,000,000,000.00 (Twelve Bilion Naira Only) being the funds due to Abia State from the Paris Club Refund and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provisions of Section 390 (5) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Tweleve Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, D.r Philip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime between 2010 and 201 in Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed unlawful acts of official corruption and abuse of the office to the tune of N12,000,000,000.00 (Twelve Bilion Naira Only) being the funds due to Abia State from the Paris Club Refund and thereby committed contrary to the provisions of Sections 98 and 104 of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Thirteen Reads “That you Chief Theodore, Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Phillip Nto,. ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime ni 2015 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed unlawful acts to wit, stealing and conversion of the sum of N13,000,000,000.00 (Thirteen Billion Naira Only) being the proceeds of the loan facility granted by the then Diamond Bank Pịc to the Abia State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 390 (5) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Fourteen Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Phillip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime ni 2015 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed unlawful acts of official corruption and abuse of the office to the tune of A13,000,000,000.00 (Thirteen Billion Naira Only) being the proceeds of the loan facility granted by the then Diamond Bank Pci to the Abia State Government; and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provisions of Sections 98 and 104 of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State
Count Fifteen Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Philip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu, sometime in 2012 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed unlawful acts ot wit, stealing and conversion of the sum of N10,500,000,000.00 (Ten Bilion, Five Hundred Million Naira Only) being the proceeds of the loan facility granted by First Bank Plc for the benefits of the Abia State Government and the Abia State Local Government Councils and thereby committed an offence contrary to the provisions of Sections 98 and 104 of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.
Count Sixteen Reads “That you Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, ENGR. CHINEDUM ORJI, Dr. Philip Nto, ONWUMENE KING OBIOMA and Romanus K. Madu,sometime ni 2015 ni Umuahia, Abia State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court committed unlawful acts of official corruption and abuse of the office to the tune of the sum of N10,500,000,000.00 (Ten Bilion, Five Hundred Milion Naira Only) being the proceeds of the loan facility granted by First Bank Pci for the benefits of the Abia State Government and the Abia State Local Government Councils and thereby committed an offence contrary Section 516 and 516(a) of the Criminal Code, Law of Abia State and punishable under the same Section of the same Act.
All the defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to them, following which prosecution counsel, Dr. Pinheiro SAN, prayed the court to fix a date for commencement of trial.
Counsel to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendant, Bode Olanipekun, SAN, Chika Osolu Ojukwu, SAN, K.I Odeh, Oke Amaechi, SAN and Isaac Anya informed the court of their respective applications for the bail of the defendants.
Counsel to 1st defendant, Bode Olanipekun prayed the court to grant his client bail to enable him to stand trial. All other defence counsels made the same pleas before the court.
Justice Abai in her ruling, granted the defendants bail in the sum of Fifty Million Naira (N50,000,000.00) each, one surety in like sum, surety must have a landed property in Umuahia and must show evidence of Certificate of Occupancy
Additionally, surety must depose an affidavit of means and deposit two recent passport photographs with the court.
Defendants must also deposit their international passports with the court registrar.
The judge adjourned the matter to June 18 and 19, 2025 for commencement of trial.
