Alleged N7.1bn Fraud: Court to rule on ex-Abia gov’s application against retrial

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday fixed September 20 for judgement on an application filed by former Abia State governor, Orji Kalu, challenging his retrial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for money laundering.

The Lagos Division of the court had on December 5, 2019, convicted and sentenced Mr Kalu to 12 years imprisonment, and his co-defendant, Udeh Udeogu, to 10 years in jail, for diverting Abia State’s funds to the tune of N7.1 billion.

However, citing technical grounds, the Supreme Court on May 8, 2020, set aside the conviction and sentence, and ordered that the defendants be tried afresh.

Before they could be re-arraigned, however, Mr Kalu, the incumbent Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, filed an application to stop his retrial.

At Friday’s hearing, lawyers representing the different parties respectively adopted the processes they had all filed and exchanged.

Subsequently, the judge, Inyang Ekwo, gave a tentative date of September 20, for the verdict.

He said the court would notify parties in the suit of change in date if the judgment would not be ready before then.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, was seen conferring with Rotimi Jacobs, shortly after the suit was adjourned.

Mr Jacobs is the prosecuting lawyer in Mr Kalu’s matter.

Details later…