The EFCC will charge Oduah and others with conspiracy, money laundering and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with a commercial bank.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has got approval to prosecute former aviation minister, Senator Stella Oduah, and others on alleged N5 billion fraud.
Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, gave the EFCC the nod to continue with the prosecution of Oduah, according to the prosecuting counsel, Hassan Liman (SAN).
Liman informed Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, Abuja of the development at the resumed hearing on Wednesday.
Justice Ekwo had, on May 10 fixed October 12 for arraignment of the defendants following a letter from the office of the AGF in response to a petition written by counsel to the 8th defendant in the suit, Ogbu James.
The senior lawyer said he has no fewer than 32 witnesses lined up to testify in the suit.
The judge, who ordered an accelerated hearing in the trial, directed all parties to put their house in order.
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Ekwo said the trial would be on a day-to-day basis and adjourned until Feb. 13, Feb. 14, Feb. 15, Feb. 16 and Feb. 17, 2023 for hearing.
Oduah, who currently represents Anambra North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, is expected to be arraigned by the EFCC on alleged N5 billion fraud and financial misappropriation.
Other defendants in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020, are Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi and Chukwuma Irene Chinyere.
They also include Global Offshore and Marine Ltd, Tip Top Global Resources Ltd, Crystal Television Ltd, Sobora International Ltd and others.
The EFCC will charge Oduah and others with conspiracy, money laundering and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with a commercial bank.
They will be arraigned on a 25-count charge.