The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Stella Oduah, former minister of aviation, before an Abuja high court over alleged fraud involving N2.4 billion.
Oduah was arraigned on Wednesday alongside Gloria Odita on a five-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, obtaining by false pretence, and criminal breach of trust.
According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly conspired in January 2014 to obtain N2,469,030,738.90 from the federal ministry of aviation through Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Ltd and Global Offshore Marine Ltd, allegedly under false claims.
The government alleged that Oduah and Odita “agreed amongst themselves to obtain a sum of Two Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million, Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Nine Kobo (N2,469,030,738.90) by false pretence. Pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision’ and ‘Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services,’ which representation you knew to be false”.
The alleged offence violates sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act and is punishable under section 1(3).
The prosecution further alleged that on January 13, 2014, the defendants “obtained the sum of Eight Hundred and Thirty-Nine Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Nine Kobo (N839,780,738.90) by falsely pretending that the said sum represented ‘Cost of Technical Supervision’.”
In another count, the government said that on February 12, 2014, the defendants obtained N1,629,250,000 through Global Offshore Marine Ltd, claiming it was for “Security Integrated and Logistics Support Services,” a representation described as false.
