Orji Uzor Kalu docked on N3.2b fraud charges

  The trial of former Governor of Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu, who is charged with N3.2 billion fraud, is presently going on before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos. Supreme Court had in 2016 given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to try Orji Uzor Kalu on corruption charges. […]

  The trial of former Governor of Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu, who is charged with N3.2 billion fraud, is presently going on before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

Supreme Court had in 2016 given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) permission to try Orji Uzor Kalu on corruption charges.

The decision was announced by Justice Suleiman Galadima March 18, 2016.

Kalu has been accused of participating in the laundering of N3.2 billion in public funds.

He allegedly committed the fraud during his tenure as governor of Abia between 1999 and 2007.

The EFCC took Kalu to court in 2007 but the case was stalled due to various court orders.

The Abuja Federal High Court and Court of Appeal had earlier refused to stop the trial leading Kalu to head to the Supreme Court.

Kalu is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo, on 34 counts bordering on fraud.

Also charged with the accused is Kalu’s company — Slok Nigeria Ltd. The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

As at The time of filing in this report, Orji Uzor Kalu is sitting in the dock while the EFCC witness is being cross examined by Kalu’s lawyer.

The counsel to the EFCC is Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) while Awa Kalu SAN is representing the former governor.

Cumulatively, in all the counts, the accused were alleged to have diverted over N3.2 billion from the Abia State Government’s treasury during Kalu’s tenure as governor.

The offence contravened the provisions of Sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005 and Money Laundering Act of 1995 as amended (2002) and Section 477 of the Criminal Code , Laws of the Federation, 1990.