The Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of
Justice, Abubakar Malami, has at last finally issued a directive for the
arraignment of a former Aviation Minister, Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah, in the
N7.9 billion money laundering charges brought against her by the Federal
Government.
The directive issued in a letter to the Federal High Court
has therefore brought to an end the adjournments suffered by the arraignment
for six consecutive times.
Oduah and others defendants in the alleged fraud trial were
to have been docked since last year but was for six times put off following the
request of the AGF to allow him study the case file and give legal opinion.
However, at Wednesday’s proceedings, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, brought a letter before the court from Malami,
asking that the Senator be formally docked on the alleged offences.
Mrs Odua, who was present in court along with her other
eight co-defendants,
was given February 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, 2023, for
arraignment and full scale accelerated trial.
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo fixed the date following
confirmation by parties that Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, actually
issued the letter and copied them as required by law.
The EFCC, in the charges, alleged that Mrs Oduah
misappropriated the N7.9 billion public funds while serving as a Minister under
former President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime.
Other defendants are Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi,
Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore, and Marine Limited, Tip Top Global
Resources Limited, Crystal Television Limited and Sobora International Limited.
They are charged with conspiracy and money laundering, as
well as maintaining anonymous bank accounts.
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