Court Arraigns Oduah July 21 Over Alleged N5bn Fraud

      Senator Stella Oduah 

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed July 21 for the arraignment of former Senator Stella Oduah and others over alleged N5 billion fraud. 

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date following the request by the Counsel to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Hassan Liman, SAN, to allow the defendants to take their pleas.  

News Rider reports that the EFCC had on December 17, 2020, sued Oduah alongside Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi and Chukwuma Irene Chinyere. 

Others were Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, Sobora International Ltd and others.

The senator, who represented Anambra North Senatorial District at the 9th National Assembly, was scheduled to be arraigned on alleged N5 billion fraud and financial misappropriation while she served as a Minister during the Jonathan administration.

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

Liman said that on June 15, 2023, the court drew the attention of counsel to a letter or petition written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria against Justice Ekwo, where the judge mandated EFCC to investigate the matter and unravel the identities of the persons. 

He hinted that the commission carried out the investigation via a telephone and was able to uncover the identity of one Mr Okolo Obinna Johnson, a promoter of two companies.

The lawyer noted that the EFCC traced the evidence using the telephone number the suspect submitted during the BVN registration, with the collaboration of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Liman said that the anti-graft agency made all efforts to track the person physically in conjunction with other security agencies but was not successful.

He vowed that the EFCC would not leave any stone unturned in bringing the culprit to book.

The Defence lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, stated that he would not be silent when the court was threatened.

“No one should threaten our judges. It is up to the work of the judges that this country continues to survive,” he said.

Ogwu James, SAN, said that the issue was not about the petition but the contact they made with the court.

He said though anybody had the right to write petition, sending a message to the court was the issue.