Tobias Sylvester
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arriagned a former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, for misappropriating public funds during her tenure in office.
Stella Oduah was arraigned on alleged N5 billion fraud and financial misappropriation while she served as Aviation Minister during the Goodluch Jonathan Administration.
In the 25-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020, which was initially filed in 2020, Oduah and others were accused of conspiracy, money laundering and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with First Bank Plc.
The arraignment of Oduah and eight other defendants took place before Inyang Ekwo, a judge at the Abuja federal high court on Friday, July 21, 2023.
Although the case came up for arraignment numerous times between 2021 and 2023, it was delayed for several reasons.
Apart from Oduah, the other defendants include Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, Sobora International Ltd, and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Nigeria Ltd.
Upon the arraignment, all defendants entered pleas of not guilty to the 25-count charge. The case is now set to proceed with further legal proceedings.
KanyiDaily recalls that Nigeria’s former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami had directed that Stella Oduah be arraigned for the N7.9 billion money laundering charges brought against her by the Federal Government.
