The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Orbby Vanessa Agwuncha, a compliance officer at Bill Interserve Global, for allegedly failing to appoint a compliance desk officer and develop programmes to combat money laundering and other illegal financial acts.
The anti-graft agency arraigned Agwuncha before the federal
high court in Abuja on Wednesday.
In a statement on Thursday, EFCC said Agwuncha was arraigned
on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering and also accused her of
“failure to designate at management level a compliance officer within any
strata of the company”.
According to the EFCC, the offence contravenes section 10
(1) (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Section 10 (1) of the legislation states: “Every financial
institution and designated non-financial business and profession shall develop
programmes to combat the laundering of the proceeds of a crime or other
unlawful acts, and these shall include— (a) the designation of compliance
officers at management level at its headquarters and at every branch and local
office.”
However, Agwuncha pleaded not guilty to the charges.
After pleading not guilty to the charges, J.N. Dogonyaro,
the prosecution counsel, asked the court to fix a date for trial.
However, the defence counsel pleaded with the court to grant
the defendant bail.
After the arguments, Obiora Egwuata, the presiding judge,
granted bail to Agwuncha in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like
sum.
The judge ordered that the sureties must not be below grade
16 and must possess verifiable landed property in Abuja with a certificate of
occupancy.
Egwuata also ordered that the sureties must deposit their
travelling documents with the court and must not travel outside the country
except with the permission of the court.
The judge ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Kuje
correctional facility pending the completion of her bail conditions.
The case was adjourned to February 16, 2026, for
commencement of trial.
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