A Nigerian former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, will be arraign at the Federal High Court, Abuja, for alleged financial impropriety by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The accused was recently charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alongside eight others with fraud offences in the case marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/316/20.
The former Minister was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday, but the case was adjourned by the judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, because Oduah was absent and had not been served with the relevant court documents.
February 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan removed her as the aviation minister following scandals she was involved in, but she (Oduah) later got involved in the campaigns for Jonathan’s failed 2015 re-election bid.
The former Minister is alleged by the crimes commission for misappropriating public funds while in office as Minister, and at the Tuesday proceedings, the commission prosecuting counsel, Hassan Liman, confirmed to the court that the accused had not been served with the court processes.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), urged the judge to adjourn the case to enable the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to serve the flamboyant former Minister .
“My lord, the matter has been set out today (Tuesday) for arraignment but I have been informed by the commission that the first defendant (Oduah) is yet to be served.In view of that my lord, may I humbly apply for a very short date,” he said.
Justice Inyang Ekwo in response said it was the duty of the prosecution to produce defendants in court, and thereafter adjourned the case till February 22 for defendants to take their plea.
