In 2019, a Federal
High Court in Lagos convicted the Senate Chief Whip of N7.1bn fraud and was
subsequently sentenced to 12 years in prison after standing trial on 39-count
charge preferred against him by the EFCC.
The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission has said it was ready for fresh and immediate
retrial of former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu.
The Supreme Court
had on Friday upturned Kalu’s conviction for alleged fraud and ordered a
retrial.
In 2019, a Federal
High Court in Lagos convicted the Senate Chief Whip of N7.1bn fraud and was
subsequently sentenced to 12 years in prison after standing trial on 39-count
charge preferred against him by the EFCC.
The agency in a
statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, described
the judgment of the apex court as quite unfortunate.
The statement reads,
“The attention of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn
to the judgment of the Supreme Court nullifying the trial of a former governor
of Abia State, Orji Kalu, his firm, Slok
Nigeria Limited and Jones Udeogu, a former Director of Finance and Account of
Abia State Government and ordering their fresh trial at the lower court.
“The apex court
based its verdict on the grounds that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted
Kalu and others had been elevated to the Court of Appeal before the judgment
and returned to the lower court to deliver the judgment which it considered as
illegal.
“The EFCC considers
the judgment of the apex court as quite unfortunate. It is a technical ambush
against the trial of the former governor. The commission is prepared for a
fresh and immediate trial of the case because its evidences against Kalu and
others are overwhelming.
“The corruption
charges against Kalu still subsist because the Supreme Court did not acquit him
of them. The entire prosecutorial machinery of the EFCC would be launched in a
fresh trial where justice is bound to be served in due course.”
The corruption charges against Kalu still subsist because
the Supreme Court did not acquit him of them. The entire prosecutorial
machinery of the EFCC would be launched in a fresh trial where justice is bound
to be served in due course.Â
5/
— EFCC Nigeria
(@officialEFCC) May 8, 2020
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