By Idowu Patrick
The Economy and Financial Crime Commissioned (EFCC) on Friday arraigned former Aviation Minister, Senator Stella Oduah and eight others before the Federal High Court Abuja, for alleged conspiracy and fraudulent conversion of government funds to their personal use.
Oduah, who served as Aviation Minister from 2011 to 2014, is facing trial over an allegation that she laundered public funds to the tune of about 7.9billion, in connivance with eight others
The anti-graft agency, among other things, alleged that Stella Oduah, who is the current Senator representing Anambra North in the Senate and Odita, who was identified as her aid and the Company Secretary to Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd (SPGC), had in February 2014, used their positions to transfer the sum of N1,629,250,000.00 from I-Sec Security Nig. Ltd account No. 2021756955 with First Bank Plc, to Global Offshore and Marine Ltd account No. 2022977296 also domiciled with First Bank Plc, which money they reasonably ought to have known that it formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act
They were equally accused of opening a United State dollar “anonymous Private Banking Nominee account No. 2024414498 with First Bank Plc and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 11(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 1 1(4) (a) of the same Act.”
Following the defendants’ plea of innocence to all the allegations, the trial Justice Ekwo allowed them to go home on the administrative bail the EFCC earlier granted to them.
More so, the court directed the EFCC transfer the case file to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to ensure diligent prosecution of the defendants.
Justice Ekwo djourned the case till October 17 for trial