A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, has ordered the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to take over the prosecution of former Aviation Minister, Senator Stella Oduah, her ex-aide, Gloria Odita, and seven others charged with laundering about N5 billion.
Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order on Friday after Oduah and the other defendants were arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the 25-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Justice Ekwo granted bail to the defendants on the same conditions attached to the administrative bail earlier granted to them by the EFCC.
Charged with Oduah and Odita in the 25-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020 are Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Ltd., Tip Top Global Resources Ltd., Crystal Television Ltd., Sobora International Ltd., and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Nigeria Ltd.
The controversy surrounding the prosecution of the case and the manner in which the EFCC was handling it has prompted the judge to order the AGF to take over further handling of the case.
He then ordered the EFCC to hand over the case file and all other necessary materials relating to the case to the AGF.
The judge, who had before now expressed discomfort that some individuals were working to interfere with court process by sending him text messages, was displeased when the prosecuting lawyer, Offem Uket, failed to produce a report of the EFCC’s investigation of those behind the messages to the court on Friday.
Justice Ekwo reminded Uket that, on the last date, the EFCC was ordered to investigate and produce those behind the phone number used and the organisation named in the message, which information was all handed to the prosecution.
The judge said the EFCC was ordered to produce those behind the messages and the organisation in court on Friday, which it failed to do.
