Former Aviation Minister Stella Oduah and her co-defendants in the ongoing trial over alleged N2.5 billion fraud, Gloria Odita, have started making refunds to the Federal Government.
Prosecuting lawyer and Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), announced this yesterday at the resumed hearing in the case before Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama.
Oyedepo said: “The defendants have made a move to refund a certain amount of the money into the government coffers.”
But the DPPF director was not specific about the amount the defendants have refunded.
He only stated that what is left “is the confirmation of receipt of the bank draft by the government”.
Oduah’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), and Odita’s counsel, Favour Osunaya, confirmed what Oyedepo said.
Ikpeazu and Osunaya were equally silent on the amount their clients have refunded.
The defendants, who were in court, also kept sealed lips on the development.
After hearing from the lawyers, Justice Muazu adjourned till March 26 for the submission of the report on the ongoing plea bargain by the defendants.
During the last hearing date on February 12, Oyedepo had told the court that the defendants had approached the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for talks on a possible plea bargain arrangement.
The DPPF director said the defendants had filed an application to that effect pursuant to Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
He applied for an adjournment for parties to hold discussions and report back to the court on the progress made in that regard or the commencement of a definite trial.
