High profile corruption: Stella Oduah, Kenny Martins nabbed in multi-billion Naira fraud
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In our review of high-profile corruption trials today, Senator Stella Oduah, representing Anambra North, was featured in an alleged N9.8 billion fraud after she was indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Also, the chairman of the defunct Police Equipment Trust Fund, Chief Kenny Martins, was arraigned in 2008 for allegedly diverting N7.74 billion belonging to the trust fund along with three other persons
Read on:
Stella Oduah – N9.8 billion fraud
Senator Stella Oduah, representing Anambra North, was subjected to eight hours of interrogation at the EFCC office in Abuja on February 26, 2018.
Senator Oduah, who had refused to honour the EFCC invitations for nearly three years, arrived at the office of the anti-graft agency around 11am and answered several questions until 7pm.
The quiz bordered on diversion of billions of naira when she was a minister under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
The former minister first came under investigation in 2013, after a human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), wrote a petition against her for allegedly approving the purchase of two BMW vehicles worth N225 million by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in breach of the Public Procurement Act.
She was also accused of diverting N3.9 billion out of the N9.4 billion meant for the installation of security devices in 22 airports, an allegation she had since denied.
In August 2015, rather than honouring an EFCC invitation, the lawmaker filed a suit against the EFCC, police and the Attorney General of the Federation asking the court to stop them from “inviting, arresting, investigating or prosecuting her.
Oduah, in April, 2018, denied allegation that she embezzled N9.8 billion while in government as contained in a list of looters released by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture.
This was in spite of the fact that she is currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged fraud of N9.4 billion contract for supply of security equipment to 22 airports across the nation.
Investigations are on-going.
Kenny Martins -N7.74 billion fraud
Chief Kenny Martins was the chairman of the defunct Police Equipment Trust Fund who was arraigned in 2008 for allegedly diverting N7.74 billion belonging to the trust fund along with three other persons.
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The three persons are:
- Ibrahim Dumuje,
- Joni Icheka, and,
- Cosmas Okpara.
They were arraigned before a Federal Capital Territory High Court (FCT), Guru.
The accused, in November 2016, were acquitted of the charge by the presiding judge, Justice Abubakar Talba, who ruled that the EFCC failed to establish a prima facie case against the defendants.
Not satisfied with the judgment, the EFCC filed an appeal at the Appeal Court which on June 28, 2012 set aside the judgment of the lower court and order for re-trial.
However, the defendants filed another appeal at the Supreme Court against the judgment of the appellate court.
On March 23 2018, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal filed by Martins and ordered his retrial by the EFCC.
With the Supreme Court judgment, the Chief Judge of the FCT is expected to reassign the case to another judge.
Read also:
High Profile Corruption: Bukola Saraki In Alleged N1.36bn Fraud
[This Publication is based on a compendium by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) covering corruption cases as at 22nd of November, 2019.
