A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has discharged former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, after funds linked to a fraud case were returned to the Federal Government.
Delivering the ruling on Thursday, Justice Hamza Muazu struck out the charges against Oduah and her co-defendant, Gloria Odita, following confirmation that the money in question had been fully recovered.
“The charge dated October 13, 2025, is hereby struck out, and the defendants are accordingly discharged,” the judge ruled.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), told the court he acted on the directive of the Attorney-General of the Federation to confirm that the government had received the full value tied to the case.
Following this development, the prosecution amended the charges, leaving only two companies Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore Marine Limited as defendants, effectively removing Oduah and Odita from the case.
Counsel to Oduah, Onyechi Ikpeazu, and counsel to Odita, Wale Balogun, urged the court to formally withdraw the charges against their clients. However, the prosecution maintained that the former defendants could still appear as representatives of the companies during proceedings.
The judge clarified that no conviction would be recorded against Oduah and Odita, stressing that their involvement was only in a representative capacity for the firms.
After a brief pause to resolve procedural issues, both sides agreed that only the companies would remain on record, with designated representatives appearing on their behalf.
The Federal Government subsequently arraigned the two firms on charges bordering on fraud. According to court documents, Sobora International Limited was alleged to have held N838 million in 2015, suspected to have been illegally obtained from the Ministry of Aviation through a security contractor.
Similarly, Global Offshore Marine Limited was accused of receiving N1.629 billion from the same source.
Oduah, appearing on behalf of the companies, pleaded guilty to the amended charges. The court thereafter convicted the firms and ordered the restitution of N1.2 billion to the Federal Government, alongside the forfeiture of N780 million recovered during the investigation.
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