The Federal Government on Wednesday re-arraigned a former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory over alleged N5bn fraud.
Oduah, a former lawmaker, was brought to court by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and advance fee fraud.
One of the charges alleges that she fraudulently obtained N2.4bn from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources, claiming it was payment for technical supervision. The alleged offence was said to have occurred in January 2014.
In other counts, Oduah was accused of receiving an additional N1.6bn and N839m through similar means, offences said to contravene Section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act.
Oduah, who appeared in court alongside one other defendant, pleaded not guilty to all the allegations. She was represented in court by Onyechi Ikpeazu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Justice Hamza Muazu granted her bail on self-recognition but directed her to deposit her international passport with the court and barred her from travelling outside Nigeria without permission.
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