After many attempts in three years, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, finally arraigned a former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, on a 25-count charge.
Oduah, who served as Minister of Aviation from 2011 to 2014, is being prosecuted before Justice Inyang Ekwo by the EFCC, following her alleged involvement in N7.9billion money laundering in connivance with eight other defendants.
Other defendants in the charge sheet marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/20, 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.
When the charge was read to Stella Oduah and other defendants in the open court, they pleaded not guilty to the offence.
The EFCC had alleged that Oduah, who also represented Anambra North in the Senate and Odita, who was identified as her aid and the Company Secretary to Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd (SPGC), had in February 2014, used their positions to transfer N1,629,250,000.00 from I-Sec Security Nig. Ltd account No. 2021756955 with First Bank Plc, to Global Offshore and Marine Ltd account No. 2022977296 also domiciled with First Bank Plc, which money they reasonably ought to have known that it formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.
Oduah and other defendants were also accused of opening a naira “anonymous Private Banking Nominee Account No. 2024414450 with First Bank Plc and thereby committed an offence 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.”
The EFCC further accused Oduah and other defendants of opening a United State dollar “anonymous Private Banking Nominee account No. 2024414498 with First Bank Plc and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 11(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 1 1(4) (a) of the same Act.”
Sequel to Oduah and other defendants ‘not guilty pleas’ , Justice Ekwo granted them temporary freedom, following the administrative bail the EFCC earlier granted to them.
The judge also directed 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 is important to note that though the charge was filed since 2020, the EFCC was unable to arraign Oduah and defendants, following a petition they wrote to the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Malami had urged the court to put the trial on hold to enable him to review the case file.
But the former AGF later gave the EFCC the nod to go ahead with trial of the defendants.
Justice Ekwo later djourned the case till October 17 for trial.
