The Federal High Court in Abuja has shifted the trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in an alleged N7.9Bn fraud till November 17.
The trial which was initially slated for Tuesday, October 17 was put off by the court owing to lack of time to accommodate the trial prompting its adjournment till next month.
Although lawyers to the Federal Government who initiated a 25-count criminal charge against Mrs Oduah and CCECC were in Court alongside those of the defendants, the principal defendant, Senator Oduah was not present in Court.
No reason was advanced for her absence as the case was put off before the Court commenced today’s proceedings.
Lawyers who turned up for the trial were told by a Registrar of the Court that it has been shifted till November 14 at the instance of the court.
Mrs Oduah and the China Construction company are facing prosecution on alleged crimes of fraud, money laundering and bribery running into N7.9bn.
In the 25-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/2020, they were accused of conspiracy, money laundering and maintaining anonymous bank accounts with a commercial bank.
Specifically, CCECC is being made to face trial for allegedly bribing Federal Government officials to the tune of billions of naira through alleged transfers from its numerous bank accounts to the accounts of beneficiaries of the graft to facilitate government patronage.
Senator Oduah, on the other hand, is being prosecuted for allegedly accepting money from CCECC while she held sway as Minister of Aviation.
Based on the Court order, the trial will be conducted by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Minister of Justice.
The EFCC was ordered to step aside from the trial following its involvement in some unlawful means that stalled the case for more than two years.
Senator Oduah and eight others had pleaded not guilty to the charges on Friday, July 21, 2023, when they were formally arraigned.
