FG arraigns ex-aviation minister Stella Oduah over ₦5bn corruption allegations

File photo: Stella Oduah

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A former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, on Wednesday, was arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja, by the Federal Government over allegations bordering on corruption in the sum of N5 billion.

In a court sitting attended by our correspondent, she was arraigned by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, on five counts bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences.

In one of the counts, Stella Oduah was accused of obtaining by fraudulent pretences a sum of N2.4 billion through Broad Waters Resources from the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

She was said to have fraudulently claimed that the money was the cost of technical supervision.

The fraud was said to have been committed in January 2014.

In one of the counts, Oduah was accused of fraudulently obtaining the sum of ₦2.4 billion through a company, Broad Waters Resources, from the Federal Ministry of Aviation under the pretence that the funds were for technical supervision.

In other counts, she was alleged to have collected ₦1.6 billion and another ₦839 million using similar means, contrary to provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offences Act.

The former minister was arraigned alongside a co-defendant, Gloria Odita. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Oduah was represented at the arraignment by Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), while Wale Balogun (SAN) appeared for Odita.

Justice Hamza Muazu admitted Oduah to bail on self-recognition but ordered her to deposit her international passport with the court. The judge also directed that she must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.

This is the second time the Federal Government is prosecuting Oduah over the matter. An earlier case filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against her was withdrawn.

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