FRAUD : Alleged N5.6bn fraud: S' court Orders EFCC to prosecute ex-gov Orji Kalu

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu

ON March 18, 2016 12:40 PM

through Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA - The ideally suited court docket, Friday, gave the economic and
Financial Crimes fee, EFCC, the nod to prosecute the
former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu on a 107-
depend corruption charges

The price borders on the alleged complicity of the erstwhile
governor in cash laundering and illegal diversion of public
budget to the tune of N5.6billion.Kalu changed into purported to have
perpetuated the fraud while he piloted the affairs of Abia
 from 1999 and 2007.

even though the anti-graft agency docked him before the Abuja
division of the Federal high court on July 27, 2007, but,
for the past 8 years, the defendant, via various
interlocutory packages, annoyed moves via the prosecution
to open its case against him.The defendant first off challenged
the competence of the price in opposition to him, in addition to the
jurisdiction of the excessive courtroom to listen and determine the case.

meanwhile, following refusal through the trial court to quash the
price, Kalu, took the case earlier than the court of attraction in
Abuja.The appellate courtroom, in a unanimous judgment, upheld
the competence of the charge, including that the high court changed into
constitutionally empowered to exercising jurisdiction at the
trial.disappointed with the verdict, Kalu approached the ideal
courtroom, begging it to set-apart the concurrent findings of the
two decrease courts.


the former governor, via his attorney chief Awa Kalu, SAN,
pleaded a five-man panel of Justices of the apex courtroom,
headed via the leader Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud
Mohammed, to quash the criminal price against him.
He contended that the EFCC didn't establish a prima-facie
nexus linking him to the components of the offence contained in
the price.

It changed into his contention that the evidence of evidence the anti-graft
employer adduced in opposition to him did no longer nail him to the
fee of any crime.

though, the apex court, in a unanimous judgment on
Friday, disregarded the enchantment, even as it ordered the appellant
to go and face his trial earlier than the high courtroom.

even as upholding the court of attraction verdict, Justice Suleiman
Galadima who introduced the lead verdict, stated the apex court docket
was satisfied that the former governor has a case to answer
referring to allegations that have been levelled against him by way of the
EFCC.

except, the apex courtroom ordered the chief decide of the Federal
excessive courtroom, Justice Ibrahim Auta, to re-assign the case to
another decide to enable the trial to start de-novo
(afresh).

The apex court also ordered accelerated listening to of the problem.


information later.