Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court has discharged a former minister of aviation, Stella Oduah and Gloria Odita, a former aide of a ₦2.5 billion fraud charge.
Justice Muazu ordered their discharge after the prosecution said it had discontinued the case against them based on a plea bargain agreement reached by the parties.
The prosecution, however, retained two companies linked to the former minister — Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore and Marine Limited — as defendants in an amended charge.
Counsel for the Federal Government, Rotimi Oyedepo, said the prosecution reviewed the case in light of the agreement and proceeded against the companies, which were accused of benefiting from the alleged fraud.
In the amended two-count charge, Sobora International Limited was accused of being unlawfully in possession of ₦838 million, while Global Offshore and Marine Limited allegedly possessed ₦1.629 billion.
Following a guilty plea entered on behalf of the companies, Oyedepo urged the court to convict them and order their winding up.
In his ruling, Muazu convicted the two companies based on their guilty plea and ordered that they be wound up.
He further directed that the ₦1.2 billion restitution and the ₦780 million recovered during the investigation be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The judge also struck out the earlier charge dated October 13, 2025, which included Oduah and Odita as defendants, effectively discharging both of them from the case.
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.
