The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, February 28, 2025, arraigned former Abia State Governor, Theodore Ahamefule Orji, alongside four other persons before Justice Lilian Abai of the Federal High Court in Umuahia.

Others are Engr. Chinedum Orji, Dr. Philip Nto, Onwumene King Obioma, and Romanus K. Madu.

The defendants are facing a 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, official corruption, stealing, and diversion of public funds, offences said to contravene Sections 516 and 516(a) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.

One of the charges reads: “That you, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, Engr. Chinedum Orji, Dr. Phillip Nto, Onwumene King Obioma, and Romanus K. Madu, sometime between 2011 and 2015 in Umuahia, Abia State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, stole and converted the sum of N22.5 billion, being the allocation to the Abia State Government as security votes, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 390(5) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.”

Another count alleges that the defendants conspired between 2010 and 2011, to steal and convert N12 billion from the Paris Club Refund meant for the state, contrary to Sections 516 and 516(a) of the Criminal Code Law of Abia State.

Upon reading the charges, all defendants pleaded “not guilty.

The prosecution counsel, Dr. Pinheiro, SAN, urged the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.

Meanwhile, defence counsels, Bode Olanipekun, SAN, Chika Osolu Ojukwu, SAN, K.I. Odeh, Oke Amaechi, SAN, and Isaac Anya prayed the court to grant their clients bail.

In her ruling, Justice Abai granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of N50 million, with one surety in like sum. The surety, he stated, must own a landed property in Umuahia and present a Certificate of Occupancy.

Additionally, the surety must swear to an affidavit of means and provide two recent passport photographs, while the defendants were also ordered to surrender their international passports to the court registrar.

The case was adjourned to June 18 and 19, 2025, for trial.