•Stella Oduah
The federal government has arraigned a former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, before Justice Hamza Muazu, of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, on an alleged N5 billion fraud.
Oduah was arraigned on a five-count charge, bordering on advance fee fraud and conspiracy, by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, reports Channels TV.
In one of the counts, Oduah was accused of obtaining by fraudulent pretences a sum of N2.4 billion through Broad Waters Resources from the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
She was said to have allegedly claimed that the money was the cost of technical supervision.
The alleged fraud was said to have been perpetrated in January 2014.
In another count, Stella Oduah was alleged to have collected N1.6 billion and another N839 million through the same means and contrary to section 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud.
The former minister, who was arraigned alongside Gloria Odita, however, denied the charges along with her co-defendant.
The trial judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, admitted her to bail on self-recognition but ordered that she must deposit her travelling passport with the court and must not travel out of the country without permission of the court.
Her counsel was Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), while Wale Balogun (SAN) stood for Gloria Odita.
This is the second time the federal government will put Oduah on trial. The first charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja were withdrawn.
