Alleged N7.9bn Fraud: Again, Stella Oduah’s Arraignment Stalled

Alleged N7.9bn Fraud: Again, Stella Oduah’s Arraignment Stalled

The planned arraignment of a former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Adaeze Oduah, on the alleged N7.9bn money laundering charges was stalled at a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.

Oduah, who was personally present in court along with other eight co-defendants, could not be put in the dock following the inability of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to give a definite go-ahead with the arraignment.

During the proceedings on Tuesday, counsel to the federal government, Dr Hassan Liman, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), tendered a letter from the AGF’s office, and thereafter demanded that the accused persons be ordered to take their plea.

He drew the attention of the court to the fact that the charge against them was filed since December 17, 2020 by the federal government while efforts to arraign them have been unsuccessful.

Liman’s attention was, however, drawn to a portion in the AGF’S letter of May 6, 2022 to the effect that his office was still looking into the issues raised by one of the defendants in the matter.

Justice Inyang Ekwo, who was to give order for the plea to be taken, insisted that the AGF be given time to take a definite position in order not to embark on exercise that may be in futility at the end.

Other Senior lawyers standing for the defendants agreed with the court that the AGF be given another time to complete his actions on the case file and issue necessary directive.

Justice Ekwo subsequently fixed October 12 and 13 for the plea of the defendants to be taken and for trial.

Senator Oduah’s planned arraignment had before now been stalled five times due to her initial persistent absence in court.