N7.9bn fraud: Ex-Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah arraigned by EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 25-count charge of money laundering. Oduah, who served as Aviation Minister from 2011 to 2014, is accused of conspiring with eight others to launder public funds totaling approximately 7.9 billion Naira.

The other defendants in the case are Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, and Sobora International Ltd.

During the court proceeding before trial Justice Inyang Ekwo, all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. The EFCC alleges that Oduah, along with Odita, who was identified as her aid and the Company Secretary to Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd (SPGC), transferred 1,629,250,000 Naira from I-Sec Security Nig. Ltd account to Global Offshore and Marine Ltd account in February 2014. The money was reasonably believed to be proceeds of an unlawful act.

The defendants were further accused of opening an anonymous Private Banking Nominee account with First Bank Plc, both in Nigerian Naira and United States dollars, committing offenses under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended).

Despite the defendants’ pleas of innocence, the court granted them administrative bail earlier granted by the EFCC and directed the agency to transfer the case file to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation for diligent prosecution.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/316/20, had been filed since 2020, but the arraignment was delayed due to a petition sent to the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN. However, Malami later allowed the EFCC to proceed with the trial after reviewing the case file.

The trial has been adjourned until October 17, when the defendants will have their day in court to respond to the charges.