Former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 25-count charge of money laundering, involving approximately N7.9 billion. Eight other defendants were also charged in connection with the alleged offenses.
The charges allege that Oduah and her aid, Gloria Odita, used their positions to transfer funds from I-Sec Security Nig. Ltd account to Global Offshore and Marine Ltd account, which they reasonably ought to have known were proceeds of an unlawful act.
Additionally, the defendants were accused of opening naira and United States dollar anonymous Private Banking Nominee accounts with First Bank Plc, contravening the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011.
Upon their not guilty plea, Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the defendants administrative bail and adjourned the case for trial to October 17. The EFCC had filed the case in 2020, but the arraignment was delayed due to a petition written to the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. After reviewing the case file, Malami permitted the EFCC to proceed with the trial.
