Ex-Aviation Minister Stella Oduah’s N7.9 billion corruption trial begins on October 17th

The federal government will begin a full-fledged trial of former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah, and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) on Tuesday, October 17 before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Mrs. Oduah and the China Construction Group will face charges of fraud, money laundering, and bribery totaling N7.9 billion.

CCECC, in particular, would be charged with bribing Federal Government officials to the tune of N7.9 billion through alleged transfers from its multiple bank accounts to the accounts of graft recipients in order to support government patronage.

Senator Oduah, on the other hand, will be charged with taking money from CCECC while serving as Minister of Aviation.

According to a cause list released by the Federal High Court on Monday, the full-fledged trial will be held on October 17 in Abuja by Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo.

Unlike prior processes, however, the trial this time will be coordinated and handled on the order of the Federal High Court by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.

The EFCC was claimed to have been ordered to withdraw from the trial as a result of its involvement in various illegal means that slowed the case for more than two years.

Mrs. Oduah and eight others pleaded not guilty to a N7.9 billion fraud allegation brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, July 21, 2023.

The EFCC charged them with money laundering on a 25-count indictment before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Gloria Odita, Nwobu Emmanuel Nnamdi, and Irene Chukwuma, as well as five companies, Global Offshore and Marine Limited, Tiptop Global Resources Limited, Crystal Television Limited, Sobora International Limited, and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), were docked alongside the former Aviation Minister.

Senator Oduah was charged with N7.9 billion in fraud and financial misappropriation while serving as Minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

In the 25-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020, they were accused of conspiracy, money laundering and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with a commercial bank.

Count one of the charges reads,

 “that you, Stella Adaeze Oduah whilst being the Minister of Aviation, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Gloria Odita whilst being the Company Secretary to Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd (SPGC) and an aide to the former Minister of Aviation, Nwobu Emmanuel Nnamdi, whilst being an employee of Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd (SPGC) and an aide to the former Minister of Aviation, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore And Marine Limited, Tiptop Global Resources Limited, Crystal Television Limited, Sobora International Limited between January 2014 and April 2014 at Abuja within the judicial division of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: ‘Money Laundering’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act”.

Count 5 reads,

“that you, Stella Adaeze Oduah whilst being the Minister of Aviation, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, a Limited Liability Company registered under the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on or about 12th February 2014 at Abuja within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court took control of the sum of N1,629,250,000.00 (One Billion, Six Hundred and Twenty-Nine Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only and paid into the account of Global Offshore and Marine Ltd account No. 2022977296 domiciled with First Bank Plc from I-Sec Security Nig. Ltd accounts No. 2021756955 with First Bank Plc, which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

Justice Ekwo granted bail to the defendants on the terms of the administrative bail earlier offered them by the EFCC and adjourned till October 17 for the commencement of trial.

It will be recalled that the commission had filed the charge against Oduah and others on December 17, 2020, but attempts to arraign them witnessed many twists and turns.

Several times the defendants were not available in court forcing adjournments, and when they were available, it was either counsel was pushing for adjournment on the grounds of settlement negotiations.