Former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah has appeared at the Federal High Court, Abuja over alleged financial impropriety. The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is alleging that Oduah misappropriated public funds while serving as a minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The former minister and eight others are accused of fraud and diversion of funds through the operation of anonymous bank accounts, in a 25-counts.
The arraignment of former Minister of Aviation, Sen. Stella Oduah, at the Federal High Court, Abuja could not commence over the inability of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to serve two suspects in the trial
Counsel to the EFCC, Dr Hassan Liman, SAN, at the mention of the case before Justice Inyang Ekwo, told the court that the 5th and 6th suspect in the matter was yet to be served with the court processes. The prosecutor, therefore, prayed for leave of the court to serve the defendants, which are corporate bodies, at their respective addresses.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until April 19 for the suspects to take their plea.
The court had earlier fixed February 22 for the arraignment after the case was first mentioned on February 9 because Oduah, who currently represents Anambra North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, was yet to be served with the court processes. Therefore, the arraignment could not go on.
The lawmaker is facing the fraud charge alongside eight others in a suit with the number: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/20.
The anti-corruption agency alleges that Oduah misappropriated public funds to the tune of N5 billion while serving as Minister of Aviation.
Stella Oduah Ogiemwonyi is a Nigerian Senator and former Minister of Aviation. She was confirmed to the ministerial post and sworn in on July 2, 2011, and was deployed to the Ministry of Aviation on July 4, 2011.
She was however relieved of her duties as Minister of Aviation on 12 February 2014. She was also active in the political campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan, where she served as his campaign’s Director of Administration and Finance. In 2013, she was one of the delegates chosen by the President to attend the Papal inauguration of Pope Francis together with David Mark, President of the Senate and Viola Onwuliri, Foreign Minister.
On 23 February 2017, It was reported that her four companies accounts were frozen over alleged indebtedness of $16,412,819.06 and N100,493,225.59 by the Federal high court in Lagos. The four companies are Sea Petroleum and Gas Company Limited, Sea Shipping Agency Limited, Rotary Engineering Services Limited, and Tour Afrique Company Limited with 21 bank accounts.
She was involved in numerous controversies ranging from the highly inflated purchase of BMW bullet-proof cars without following due process as well as allegations that Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi purportedly lied about how she obtained an MBA degree from St Paul’s College. However, reports had quoted authorities at St. Paul’s College, where Mrs Oduah claimed she studied for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, as saying they did not award her an MBA at any time as the university does not even have a graduate school or graduate programme.