Alleged Threats: Judge Vows To Conclude EFCC’s 2020 Fraud Case Against Stella Oduah, Adjourns For Arraignment

…Orders EFCC To Arrest, Produce Individuals Sending Threats To His Phone

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has again fixed July 21, 2023 for the arraignment and subsequent trial of former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah and eighth others, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge expressed displeasure over alleged threats he’s getting over the case but vowed to see to its conclusion.

Recall that the EFCC had in 2020 in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CR/316/20, charged Oduah, Gloria Odita, Nwobu Emmanuel Nnamdi, Chukuma Irene Chinyere, Global Offshore and Marine Limited; Crystal Television Limited, Sobora International Limited and China Civil Engineering Construction Company Limited (CCECC) on 25-count bordering on fraud and financial misappropriation to the tune of N5 billion.

But THE WHISTLER reports that the case has dragged without the defendants taking their respective plea in the charge instituted by the EFCC.

Some of the issues that had stalled the case includes a letter from the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami SAN.

On November 22, 2021, when the defendants were to be arraigned, one of their lawyers, James Onoja SAN, accused the EFCC of refusing to return the case file to the AGF, for review of the case as requested by his office.

The court had to adjourn.

During the course of the case, the EFCC’s counsel, Hassan Liman, informed the court that the AGF had acknowledged receiving the case file and in a letter dated May 6 ,2022, directed that the case continues.

But the judge, as well as the prosecution, had observed that there was no definite answer from the Ministry of Justice, mandating the anti-graft agency to proceed with the case.

After that was address, Justice Ekwo on June 15, 2023 held that a group had petitioned his court over the case and was sending messages to his phone and threatening his personal liberty.

He then adjourned to today (July 17) for update on their arrest or otherwise while ordering the EFCC to track the person behind the phone number that was sending threats to his phone.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, EFCC’s counsel, Hassan Liman SAN told the judge that the commission has carried out investigation on that phone number and the owner has been identified as Okolo Obinna.

“The Commission has made all efforts to track that person but up till now, security agencies has not been able to track that culprit,” Liman said.

But he promised the judge that all security agencies will ensure that that culprit will be brought to book.

Counsel to one of the defendants, Kanu Agabi SAN, told the judge not to be “worried at all” over the texts of threat on his phone.

After listening to counsels, Justice Ekwo told the EFCC lawyer that the anti-graft agency must arrest and produce the persons sending those threats to him.

“The order for you to arrest him is a pending order,” the judge said.

Meanwhile, Liman appealed to the judge that notwithstanding the letters and threats, he should direct the defendants to take their plea in accordance with the law so that the court can take complete cognisance of the case instituted since 2020.

But the lawyers representing the defendants said they were not ready for plea today because the subject matter of today’s proceedings was for update on the alleged threats on the judge.

Justice Ekwo told the counsels that he does not like the direction the case was taking.

He vowed to conclude it while ordering the defendants to take their plea this Friday, July 21.

He also ordered that any defendant that does not come to court will be arrested.

“I don’t like the way this trial has been allowed to degenerate. I have several options to make. The trial of this matter is going to be fixed and it will be tried to conclusion.

“Upon consensus of counsels, I make an order adjourning this case to 21 July for plea,” the judge said.