Alleged N7.1bn Fraud: Abuja Court Announces Date for Retrial Ex-governor, Orji Uzor Kalu
- Emerging reports indicate that a former Abia state governor, Orji Kalu, has challenged the attempt by the EFCC to retrial him for corruption
- The anti-graft agency accused the former governor of embezzling several billions of naira during his tenure as governor
- Kalu argued that having been tried once, convicted, and sentenced in the same charge, would amount to double jeopardy for him to be subjected to a fresh trial on the same charge
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The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed July 2 as the date for the hearing of a suit seeking to stop his retrial of former Abia governor state, Orji Uzor Kalu, for alleged fraud.
The Guardian reported that the court on Wednesday, June 23, was informed by parties to the suit that they had filed their processes.
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Counsel to the former governor, Prof Awa Kalu (SAN) told the court that the respondents had served on him their counter-affidavits.
The judge takes control of the case
PM News reported that the judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, in his ruling said since all parties had joined issues the court had taken over control of the case.
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Ekwo adjourned the matter until July 2 for adoption.
Orji Kalu was previously convicted
Legit.ng recalled that Kalu, who is now a serving senator, was found guilty of stealing billions of naira when he was Abia state governor between 1999-2007 and handed a 12-year jail term by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
He was, however, set free by the Supreme Court on technicalities. The Supreme Court ruled that the trial judge that found him guilty had been elevated to the appeal court and should not have ruled on the matter.
EFCC vows to prosecute Kalu
Recently, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, had vowed that the commission will prosecute a former Abia state governor, Orji Kalu, all over again.
Premium Times reported that Bawa made the disclosure when he spoke with the press in Abuja on Thursday, June 17.
However, Bawa stated that EFCC is determined to continue prosecuting cases no matter how long it takes.
Source: Legit.ng
