Tag: Stella Oduah

  • EFCC Arraigns Stella Oduah, Others Over Alleged N5bn Fraud

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday, July 21, arraigned former Aviation Minister, Sen. Stella Oduah, and others over alleged N5 billion fraud.

    Others arraigned alongside the ex-lawmaker who represented Anambra North Senatorial District at the 9th National Assembly were Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore, Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, and Sobora International Ltd.

    Oduah and eight others who were arraigned by the EFCC before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    After taking their plea, Justice Ekwo ordered that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) take over the matter, adding that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should transfer the case file to the AGF in two weeks.

    Before adjourning the case till October 17, 2023, for trial, Justice Ekwo upheld the existing administrative bail conditions granted them by the EFCC. He also ordered that the terms of conditions, be made available to the AGF.

  • Court Orders EFCC To Probe Lawyer Over Charges Against Stella Oduah

    Court Orders EFCC To Probe Lawyer Over Charges Against Stella Oduah

    Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered an investigation of the Prosecution Counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed, who filed an eight-count charge against Senator Stella Oduah.

    The court is inquiring how the charge sheet which was filed in June by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is being prosecuted by the police.

    The controversy began when the matter was called and the counsel, Mohammed, announced his appearance for the Nigeria Police Force.

    He told the court that the defendant, Stella Oduah, was not in court because the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) said she could not be served because she was indisposed.

    The judge went further to inquire about who signed the charge, which the prosecutor affirmed.

    Justice Omotosho further probed if he was a police officer, and he answered in the affirmative. He said he was seconded to the EFCC but had been deployed back to the Police Force in November 2022.

    He added that he resumed at the Legal Department of the Police Headquarters in January 2023.

    The court further inquired how the charge was filed in June 2023 by the EFCC, but is being prosecuted by the police.

    The judge asked if a reasonable man would believe his explanations. He further added that the Prosecution Counsel will be taken to the anti-graft agency to explain himself.

    He subsequently called for the investigation of the counsel.

    In a brief ruling, Justice Omotoso ordered the EFCC to investigate the Prosecution Counsel and revert to the court. The court also ordered the counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed, to report to the EFCC immediately.

    Oduah was expected to be arraigned before the court on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged complicity surrounding her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate and allegedly receiving money fraudulently from the Federal Government.

    The case has been adjourned till July 18 for the EFCC to report to the court, on its investigation.

  • AGF Approves Prosecution of Stella Oduah Over N5bn Fraud

    AGF Approves Prosecution of Stella Oduah Over N5bn Fraud

    The Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) approval to prosecute Stella Oduah, former aviation minister, over N5 billion fraud allegation.

    The directive issued in a letter to the Federal High Court has therefore brought to an end the adjournments suffered by the arraignment for six consecutive times.

    Oduah and other defendants in the alleged fraud trial were to have been docked since last year but were for six times put off following the request of the AGF to allow him study the case file and give legal opinion.

    However, at Wednesday’s proceedings, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, brought a letter before the court from Malami, asking that the Senator be formally docked on the alleged offences.

    Mrs Odua, who was present in court along with her other eight co-defendants,
    was given February 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, 2023, for arraignment and full scale accelerated trial.

    Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo fixed the date following confirmation by parties that Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, actually issued the letter and copied them as required by law.

    The EFCC, in the charges, alleged that Mrs Oduah misappropriated the N7.9 billion public funds while serving as a Minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime.

    Other defendants are Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore, and Marine Limited, Tip Top Global Resources Limited, Crystal Television Limited and Sobora International Limited.

    They are charged with conspiracy and money laundering, as well as maintaining anonymous bank accounts.

  • Stella Oduah Don’t Have Valid Certificate – NYSC

    Stella Oduah Don’t Have Valid Certificate – NYSC

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has said a former Aviation Minister and Senator representing Anambra North, Stella Oduah, does not have a valid NYSC certificate.

    In a letter replying to the request by the Concerned Anambra North Peoples Democratic Party Stakeholders which sought to validate the claim by the Senator that she lost her NYSC certificate, the Director General of the service said even though Oduah was mobilised for national service in 1982/83 service year and was deployed to Lagos State, she absconded after the orientation and never completed the service.

    “The consequence of this is that she is not qualified for the issuance of the certificate of national service”, the Director General wrote in the letter that was signed on his behalf by Eddy Megwa.

    The letter, dated 24th, May 2022, with reference number NYSC/DHQ/PPRU/783/ VILIII, was obtained by our correspondent.

    In 2014, Oduah deposed to an affidavit and obtained a police extract where she stated that she sometime in 2010 while in transit from Akili in Ogboru Local Government Area to Abuja, she discovered that some of her personal belongings were missing.

    The affidavit, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent read: “I Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, Christian, Adult , Nigeria Citizen, Politician of Umuoma Village, Akili, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State do hereby make oath and depose as follows:
    1. That I am the dependent of the affidavit.
    2. That I am a native of Akili Ozizor in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.
    3. That sometime in 2010 while in transit from Akili Ozizor in Ogbaru Local Government Area to Abuja I discovered that my personal belongings were missing.
    4. That the missing documents are the originals of my West African School Certificate of 1978 from Zixton Secondary School Ozubulu, First School Leaving Certificate from St. John Odoakpu Onitsha, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Certificate 1982 from St Paul’s College Lawrencevile Virginia USA, National Youth Service Corps Certificate 1983, National Identity Card, United States of America Social Security Card with the number on it.
    5. That all efforts are to trace the missing documents proved abortive.
    6. That I made this affidavit in good faith believing same to be true and correct and in accordance with the Oaths Act.”

    However, the Concerned Anambra North Peoples Democratic Party Stakeholders wrote to the NYSC Director General to issue them with a certified true copy of the certificate of national service with the Youth Service Corps issued to Stella Adaeze Oduah in 1982/83.

    By the letter, NYSC has confirmed that Oduah served as minister in breach of the nation’s extant law barring anyone who fails to do the National Service after acquiring the necessary educational level should not be employed by government and should also not be allowed to hold public offices.

    The group had earlier written to the National Chairman of the PDP to order Oduah to produce her National Youth Service Corps certificate or be disqualified from participating in the party’s primary for Anambra North Senatorial election.

    Oduah’s case is similar to that of Kemi Adeosun, former Minister of Finance, who was forced to step down after it was exposed that she forged her NYSC certificate.

  • Court threatens arrest warrant against Stella Oduah, others over alleged N10bn fraud

    Court threatens arrest warrant against Stella Oduah, others over alleged N10bn fraud

    Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the warning on Monday when Oduah (now a Senator, representing Anambra North) and some other defendants were absent at the proceedings with no explanation from their lawyers.

    Named with Oduah as defendants in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020 are 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.

    In the 25-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC, the nine defendants are accused, among others, of engaging in the laundering of about N10billion.

    They are particularly charged with conspiracy, money laundering and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with a new generation bank.

    At the mention of the case on Monday, the court noted it was only the second and third defendants (Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi) that were present.

    The development prompted the prosecuting lawyer, Hassan Liman (SAN), to complain about the absence of the other defendants, without any explanation from their lawyers.

    Justice Ekwo noted the court’s business for the day was for the prosecution to report its compliance with an earlier order granting leave for substituted service of the charge on the fifth and sixth defendants.

    “When trial is fixed and they are not here, you can then complain,” the judge told Liman, who reported that the prosecution has complied with the order for substituted service.

    In a ruling later, Justice Ekwo observed, as earlier noted by the prosecution, that beside the second and third defendants, the others were absent.

    “This is a note of warning that warrants of arrest would be issued at the next date against any defendant, who is absent,” the judge said.

    Upon the agreement of all lawyers in the case, the judge then adjourned till October 19 and 20 for arraignment and commencement of trial.

  • Ex-Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah In Court Over Alleged Financial Misappropriation

    Ex-Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah In Court Over Alleged Financial Misappropriation

    Former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah on Monday appeared at the Federal High Court, Abuja over alleged financial impropriety.

    At the resumed sitting of the court, the prosecutor, Hassan Liman told the court that the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been unable to serve the charges on the fifth and sixth defendants who are corporate bodies.

    Following the application for adjournment by the prosecutor, Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed April 19, 2021, for the arraignment.

    In a 25-count preferred against the former minister and eight others, they are accused of fraud and diversion of funds through the operation of anonymous bank accounts.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo had fixed February 22 for the arraignment because the Former Minister was yet to be served with the court processes when the case was first mentioned on February 9, 2021.

    Senator Oduah currently represents Anambra North Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

    More to follow…