Alleged N5bn Fraud: Court Fixes July 21 For Stella Oduah’s Arraignment

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja has fixed July 21 for the arraignment of a former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

Stella Oduah is to stand trial alongside eight others on a 25-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, money laundering, and maintaining anonymous bank accounts.

At the last hearing, Justice Ekwo had ordered the EFCC to arrest some persons over a threat to his life.

He said the individuals had sent text messages to his phone advising him against the trial of the defendants.

At the resumed hearing, Counsel to EFCC, Hassan Liman, told the court that the commission had carried out an investigation and was able to trace the identity of the person via the telephone number.

The lawyer identified the person as one Okolo Obinna Johnson, a promoter of two companies. He said the effort was made through the search and linked bank verification number (BVN) of the alleged person via the telephone number submitted, adding that the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) cooperated with the anti-graft agency.

Mister Liman however said the anti-graft agency and other security agencies, made all efforts to track the person physically all to no avail.

He assured the court that the EFCC is working assiduously to bring him to book.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case to July 21 for the commencement of trial, adding that any defendant who is absent from court on that day would be committed to prison.

Other defendants in the case are Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, Sobora International Ltd, and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Nigeria Ltd.