A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has terminated the N2.4 billion fraud trial against former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, following a plea bargain agreement with the Federal Government.
The court on Thursday also discharged and acquitted her former aide, Gloria Odita, who stood as co-defendant in the long-running case.
The Federal Government had alleged that the defendants, in 2014, conspired to fraudulently obtain a total of ₦2,469,030,738.90 from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through two companies; Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Ltd and Global Offshore Marine Ltd.
According to the prosecution, the funds were secured under the guise of payments for “technical supervision” and “security integrated and logistics support services,” claims it insisted were knowingly false.
Part of the charge specifically accused the defendants of obtaining ₦839,780,738.90 on January 13, 2014, by falsely presenting the sum as the “Cost of Technical Supervision.”
However, with the plea bargain accepted by the Federal Government, the court brought proceedings to an abrupt end, effectively clearing both Oduah and Odita of the allegations.
