By Deborah Onyofufeke
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), in a letter, directed that a former Aviation Minister, Senator Stella Oduah, be arranged in the N7.9 billion money laundering charges brought against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

The EFCC had approached the Federal High court in Abuja Wednesday, with a letter from the AGF, stating that the Oduah be formally arraigned on all alleged offences.

Oduah and her co-defendants have been charged with conspiracy and money laundering, as well as maintaining anonymous bank accounts.

The letter became an official go-ahead for the former senator to be arraigned after six adjournments in the past.

Oduah and her co-defendants in the alleged fraud trial were to have been docked last year but were put off over and over again due to the AGF’s request that he be allowed to study the case file and give a legal opinion.

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Mrs Oduah, who was present in court along with her other eight co-defendants, was given February 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, 2023, for arraignment and full-scale accelerated trial.

The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date following confirmation by parties that Malami, actually issued the letter and copied them as required by law.

The EFCC, in the charges, alleged that Oduah misappropriated the N7.9 billion public funds while serving as a Minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime.

Other defendants are Gloria Odita, Nwosu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukwuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore, and Marine Limited, Tip Top Global Resources Limited, Crystal Television Limited and Sobora International Limited.