N5BN SLEAZE: EX-AVIATION MINISTER, STELLA ODUAH IN THE DOCK
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Senator Stella Oduah, also a former Minister of Aviation, Federal Republic of Nigeria, FRN
After a systematic snail-speed legalese which effectively procrastinated for three solid years, the arraignment of Senator Stella Oduah, a former Aviation Minister, accused of graft, the EFCC today, Friday, 21st July 2023, succeeded in arraigning the accused at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Charged alongside Oduah as co-defendants in the 25-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020; is Gloria Odita (2nd defendant), who is said to be an aide to Ms. Oduah when she was Minister of Aviation and company secretary, Sea Petroleum & Gas Company (SPGC) Ltd, a firm established by the former minister.
Others accused include 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 Nigeria Ltd.
At the brief session in the court on Friday, Oduah, and the other defendants arraigned pleaded not guilty to the 25-count charges brought against them by the EFCC.
However, the presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, ordered the EFCC to transfer the case file to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to ensure diligent prosecution of the defendants.
It can be recalled that the EFCC, on 17th December 2020, filed 25 counts of charges accusing the defendants of laundering various sums of money totaling circa, N5,052,415,984, between February and June 2014.
The EFCC accused the defendants of conspiracy to commit money laundering, transferring, warehousing, and taking possession of proceeds of fraud, aiding and abetting money laundering, and opening anonymous bank accounts.
EFCC in its charges alleged in two of the 25 counts that Ms. Oduah, and Ms. Odita, opened anonymous “Private Banking Nominee” PBN, dollar, and naira accounts with the First Bank of Nigeria Plc, thereby committing an offense contrary to section 11(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 11(4) (a) of the same Act.
EFCC in the charges averred that CCECC Nigeria Limited transferred over N2.5 billion into the naira account of a Private Banking Nominee between March 31 and June 6, 2014.
The prosecutor, EFCC, accused CCECC of “conspiring with the women- Ms. Oduah and Ms. Oditah- to commit money laundering, and directly transferring to Private Banking Nominee, PBN account, various sums of money totaling N2,583,385,246 which it reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: fraud,” the charge sheet stated.
Also at previous hearings, the prosecutor accused CCECC Nigeria thus, “on various dates between March 5, 2014, and May 30, 2014” in Abuja, “directly transferred the sum of N868409,349.00 from your account with Zenith Bank Place to Private Banking Nominee with Account number 2024414450, domiciled with First Bank Plc, which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: fraud…”
Consequent to today’s directive by the Presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, it is very much expected the office of the Attorney General of the Federation under the seemingly new dispensation, will expedite action not only for justice to be served but for justice to be seen to have been done.
Such justice administration will present the temple of justice as irreprehensible and it will turn enable the government to earn the confidence of the populace that it places an ultrahigh premium on equity, justice, and fairness.
** NAN/PT/NTH
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