Stella Oduah arraigned for N7. 9bn fraud

thecornetadmin July 21, 2023

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Stella Oduah, a former Nigerian minister and senator, is facing the court on charges of fraud.

Anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), arraigned Oduah before the Federal High Court, Abuja ,on 25-count charge.

Although the EFCC had filed the charges since 2020, it was however unable to have Oduah in court, owing to the latter’s petition against the previous government.

In the charges filed, the government alleges that Oduah and others allegedly defrauded the government of N7. 9billion.

The other defendants 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.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Oduah and Odita, who is company secretary to Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd (SPGC) transferred the sum of N1,629,250,000.00 from I-Sec Security Nig. Ltd account No. 2021756955, domiciled with First Bank Plc to Global Offshore and Marine Ltd account No. 2022977296.

Part of the money, the EFCC said, was also funneled into an account operated by Marine Limited, equally owned by Oduah.

The defendants were accused of opening a naira “anonymous Private Banking Nominee Account No. 2024414450 with First Bank Plc, committing 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.”

They were equally accused 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.”

Following the defendants’ plea of innocence to all the allegations, trial judge Iyang Ekwo allowed them to go home based on the administrative bail the EFCC had initially granted to them.

More so, the court directed the EFCC transfer the case file to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to ensure diligent prosecution of the defendants.