A former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, who is facing trial before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) alongside one other defendant for an alleged N2.4 billion fraud, has approached the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, for discussions regarding the ongoing trial.
Oduah, who served as minister between July 2011 and February 2014 under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, and Gloria Odita were arraigned by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on a five-count charge of alleged fraud, obtaining by false pretence, and criminal breach of trust before Justice Hamza Muazu, sitting at Maitama, Abuja.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the resumed hearing on Thursday, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, informed the court that the case was scheduled to commence trial. However, as the prosecution was preparing for this, the AGF received an application from the former minister requesting discussions.
Oyedepo, who is the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), told the court that the first defendant’s application was made pursuant to Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
He, therefore, requested an adjournment to allow the parties to hold discussions and report back to the court or set a definite trial date.
Responding, counsels for Oduah and Odita, Tobechukwu Michael SAN and Wale Balogun SAN, confirmed Oyedepo’s submission to the court.
Following this development, Justice Muazu adjourned the case to March 5 for trial.
In the charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/606/25, the prosecution alleged that Oduah and Odita conspired in January 2014 to obtain a total of N2,469,030,738.90 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Ltd and Global Offshore Marine Ltd under allegedly fraudulent claims.
They were alleged to have “agreed amongst themselves to obtain a sum of Two Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million, Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Nine Kobo (₦2,469,030,738.90) by false pretence. Pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision’ and ‘Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services,’” which representation they knew to be false.
According to the AGF, this violated Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and is punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
Both defendants were also alleged to have, on January 13, 2014, “obtained the sum of Eight Hundred and Thirty-Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Nine Kobo (₦839,780,738.90) by falsely pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision.’”
The prosecution further alleged that on February 12, 2014, the defendants obtained ₦1,629,250,000 from the Ministry of Aviation through Global Offshore Marine Ltd, claiming it was for “Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services,” a representation that was false.
Oduah, while serving as minister, was accused of dishonestly misappropriating the same sums earmarked for a contract awarded to 1-Sec Security Nigeria Ltd. She was alleged to have “dishonestly misappropriated the sum by authorising the transfer of the said sum, which act is a breach of your official trust,” contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.
