A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama heard yesterday that former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah had approached the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for talks on a possible plea bargain arrangement on the criminal charge pending against her and one other.

Oduah and one of her ex-aides, Gloria Odita, were on December 10, last year, arraigned on a five-count charge. They are accused, among others, of misappropriating about N2.4 billion public funds.

They were arraigned on the five-count charge filed on October 14 by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (OAGF).

The ex-minister and her co-defendant were alleged to have committed the offences, contained in the charge, between January and February 2014 while she was in office.

When the case was called yesterday, the prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), averred that although the case was scheduled for the commencement of trial, the prosecution, while preparing for the case, received an application from the ex-minister, seeking opportunity for discussions.

Oyedepo, who is the Director Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), noted that the application by Oduah was brought pursuant to Section 270 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

He applied for an adjournment for parties to hold discussions and report back to the court on the progress made in that regard or the commencement of a definite trial.
Responding, lawyers to Oduah and Odita – Tobechukwu Michael (SAN) and Wale Balogun (SAN) – said the current position in the case was as stated by Oyedepo.

In view of the information from the lawyers to both sides, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned further proceedings till March 5.

The counts in the charge read:

*That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita, sometimes in January,2014 in Abuja, agreed amongst yourselves to act to commit and unlawful act, to wit: Obtaining the whooping sum of N2,459,030,733.5 through Broad Waters Resource Nigeria Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited by false from the Federal Ministry of Aviation by falsely pretending that the said sum represented “cost of technical supervision” and “security integrated and logistic support services,” which representation you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

*That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita on the 13th day of January, 2014 in Abuja, by false, pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained through Broad Waters Resource Nigeria Limited’s account No: 2023201064 domiciled with First Bank Plc, the sum of N839,780,738.90 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation by falsely pretending that the said sum represented “cost of technical supervision” which representation you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

*That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita on the 12th day of February, 2014 in Abuja, by false pretence, and with intent to defraud, obtained through Global Offshore Marine Limited’s account No: 2022977296 domiciled with First Bank Pic, the sum of N1,629,250,000 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation by falsely pretending that the said sum represented “security integrated support services,” which representation you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita on the 13th day of January, 2014 in Abuja, whist serving as the Minister of Aviation, Federal Republic of Nigeria and having dominion over the contract awarded to I-SEC Security Nigeria Ltd, dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N839,780,738.90) by authorizing the transfer of the said sum, which act is a breach of your official trust contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990.

*That you, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and Gloria Odita, on the 12th day of February, 2014 in Abuja, whilst serving as the Minister of Aviation, Federal Republic of Nigeria and having dominion over the contract awarded to I-SEC Security Nigeria Ltd, dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N1,629,250,000 by authorizing the transfer of the said sum which act is a breach of your official trust contrary to Section 311 and punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89 Laws of the Federation, 1990.

Source; The Nation News