A former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah was on Friday, arraigned on a 25-count charge brought against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The former Senator, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, was arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on the allegation that she laundered public funds to the tune of about 7.9 billion, in connivance with eight others.
The prosecution, in suit number, FHC/ABJ/CR/316/20, mentioned Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd and Sobora International Ltd as other defendants in the matter.
They pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them in the open court.
Sequel to their not-guilty plea, Justice Ekwo held that the administrative bail the EFCC earlier granted to them subsists.
Specifically, EFCC, among other things, alleged that Oduah, Odita, 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 accounts 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.
According to the anti-graft agency, the defendants opened a naira “anonymous Private Banking Nominee Account No. 2024414450 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 11(4) (a) of the same 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.”
More so, the court directed the EFCC to transfer the case file to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to ensure diligent prosecution of the defendants.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the case till October 17 for trial.
