The Abuja High Court has discharged former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah and her aide in a N2.5bn fraud case after a plea bargain, while convicting two firms linked to the transaction and ordering forfeiture of recovered funds to the Federal Government.
The Abuja High Court has discharged former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, and her former aide, Gloria Odita, from a N2.5 billion fraud charge following a plea bargain reached with prosecutors.
Justice Hamza Muazu ordered their discharge after the prosecution informed the court that the case against the defendants had been discontinued. The prosecution, however, filed an amended charge against two firms linked to the former minister – Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore and Marine Limited.
Earlier, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, told the court that parties had reached a plea bargain, prompting the filing of an amended charge. Proceedings were briefly stood down to allow parties address representation for the companies.
In the amended two-count charge, Sobora International Limited was accused of unlawfully possessing N838 million, while Global Offshore and Marine Limited was alleged to have unlawfully possessed N1.629 billion.
Following a guilty plea entered on behalf of the companies, Oyedepo urged the court to convict them and order their winding up. He also requested that N1.2 billion paid as restitution through a bank draft be forfeited to the Federal Government, alongside N780 million recovered during investigation.
Counsel to the defendants, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, and Wale Balogun, SAN, did not oppose the prosecution’s requests.
Justice Muazu subsequently convicted the companies based on their guilty plea, ordered their winding up, and directed that the N1.2 billion restitution and the N780 million recovered by investigators be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The court also struck out the earlier charge dated October 13, 2025, which contained the names of Oduah and Odita, formally discharging both defendants.
Oduah and Odita were arraigned in December 2025 by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on a five-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, obtaining by false pretence, and criminal breach of trust.
The prosecution had alleged that the defendants conspired in January 2014 to obtain N2.4 billion from the Federal Ministry of Aviation through Broad Waters Resources Nigeria Ltd and Global Offshore Marine Ltd under allegedly fraudulent claims.
According to the prosecution, the offences contravened Sections 8(a) and 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, punishable under Section 1(3). The defendants had pleaded not guilty before the plea bargain that led to the amended charge and eventual discharge.
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