Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has brought former aviation minister Stella Oduah before a high court in Abuja over accusations linked to more than N2.4 billion.
Gatekeepers News reports that she appeared in court on Wednesday with Gloria Odita to answer a five-count charge involving alleged fraud, false pretence, and breach of trust.
Prosecutors told the court that both women were involved in a plan, dating back to January 2014, to obtain N2,469,030,738.90 from Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Ltd and Global Offshore Marine Ltd.
They claimed the money was requested under the guise of payment for Cost of Technical Supervision and Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services, descriptions the government said were false.
The charge also stated that the defendants “obtained the sum of Eight Hundred and Thirty-Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Nine Kobo (N839,780,738.90) by falsely pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision!’”
Another allegation pointed to February 12, 2014, when they were said to have secured N1,629,250,000 using Global Offshore Marine Ltd while making a false claim that it was meant for Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services.
Two additional counts accuse Oduah, during her time as minister, of misusing the funds assigned to a contract for 1-Sec Security Nigeria Ltd.
According to the charge, she dishonestly misappropriated the sum by authorising the transfer of the said sum, which is a breach of your official trust. Both defendants pleaded not guilty.
Onyechi Ikpeazu, counsel to Oduah, asked the court to allow her bail on self-recognition, stressing that she had served as a minister and willingly returned from the United States to attend the hearing.
He also noted that she had been on EFCC administrative bail. Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation, represented the prosecution and said the government had no objection to bail but asked for a definite trial date.
Wale Balogun, representing Odita, requested the release of his client’s travel documents. Justice Hamza Muazu said the court would consider such a request “If you make a case for permission to travel, when you are able to satisfy the court.”
The judge approved bail for both defendants on self-recognition and ordered them to surrender their travel documents, adding that they must seek court approval before travelling. The matter was adjourned to February 12 for trial.
