The Federal High Court in Abuja has shifted the trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in an alleged N7.9Bn fraud till November 17.
At the last adjourned date, the full-blown trial was fixed for Tuesday, October 17, however, the matter couldn’t push through for lack of time.
Although lawyers to the Federal Government who initiated a 25- count criminal charges against Mrs Oduah and CCECC were in Court alongside those of the defendants, the principal defendant, Senator Oduah was not present in Court.
Mrs Oduah and the China Construction giant are facing prosecution on alleged crimes of fraud, money laundering and bribery running into N7.9bn.
In the 25-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020, they were accused of conspiracy, money laundering and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with a commercial bank.
Part of the charges are “That you China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation CCECC, between March 31 and April 1, 2014 at Abuja directly transferred N500M from your account No. 0023880295 with Guaranty Trust Bank to a private banking nominee account no.2024414450 domicile with First Bank which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceed of unlawful act to wit; fraud and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 and punishable under section 15 (4) of the same Act.
“That you China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation CCECC, between March 5 and May 30, 2014 at Abuja directly transferred N868.4 M from your account with Zenith Bank to a Private Banking Nominee account no.2024414450 domicile with First Bank which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceed of unlawful act to wit; fraud and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 and punishable under section 15 (4) of the same Act.
“That you China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation CCECC, between April 11 and 17, 2014 at Abuja directly transferred N537.2.M from your bank account No.1011061486 with Zenith Bank to a Private Banking Nominee account no.2024414450 domicile with First Bank which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceed of unlawful act to wit; fraud and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 and punishable under section 15 (4) of the same Act.
“That you, Stella Adaeze Oduah whilst being the Minister of Aviation, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Gloria Odita whilst being the Company Secretary to Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd (SPGC) and an aide to the former Minister of Aviation, Nwobu Emmanuel Nnamdi, whilst being an employee of Sea Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd (SPGC) and an aide to the former Minister of Aviation, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore And Marine Limited, Tiptop Global Resources Limited, Crystal Television Limited, Sobora International Limited between January 2014 and April 2014 at Abuja within the judicial division of this Honourable Court did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: ‘Money Laundering’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act”.
“That you, Stella Adaeze Oduah whilst being the Minister of Aviation, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, a Limited Liability Company registered under the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on or about 12th February 2014 at Abuja within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court took control of the sum of N1,629,250,000.00 (One Billion, Six Hundred and Twenty-Nine Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) only and paid into the account of Global Offshore and Marine Ltd account No. 2022977296 domiciled with First Bank Plc from I-Sec Security Nig. Ltd accounts No. 2021756955 with First Bank Plc, which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) and (4) of the same Act.
Specifically, CCECC is being made to face trial for allegedly bribing Federal Government officials to the tune of billion naira through alleged transfers from its numerous bank accounts to the accounts of beneficiaries of the graft to facilitate government patronage.
Senator Oduah, on the other hand is being prosecuted for allegedly accepting money from CCECC while she held sway as Minister of Aviation.
Based on Court order, the trial will be conducted by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
The EFCC was ordered to step aside from the trial following its involvement in some unlawful means that stalled the case for more than two years.
Senator Oduah and eight others had pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday, July 21, 2023, when they were formally arraigned.
