The attorney-general of the federation(AGF), Abubakar Malami, has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the go-ahead to prosecute Senator Stella Oduah and others on alleged N5 billion fraud.
Mrs Odua, a senator currently representing Anambra North is a former minister of aviation. She is being accused by the EFCC of misappropriating public funds while serving as a minister.
She will be arraigned alongside others on 25 count charges bordering on conspiracy, money laundering, and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with a commercial bank.
What you should know
In November 2021, the senator was in court on arraignment; however, her arraignment was stalled as a result of a letter sent from the office of the AGF calling for a review of the case.
The defense counsel raised an objection saying a petition had already been written to the AGF that the defendants were being persecuted and not prosecuted.
Subsequently, the senator and the other defendants could not take their plea, as a result of the petition written to the AGF.
The other defendants in the suit include 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.
When the matter was called up on Wednesday, Mr. Hassan Liman, the prosecuting counsel, told the court that the AGF had responded to the petition and given a go-ahead for the prosecution of the defendants.
Justice Inyang Ekwo consequently ordered an accelerated hearing of the trial and adjourned till February 2023.
The judge gave 5 days in February to hear the matter, which will commence from February 13 all through to February 17.
