After 12 years, court to deliver judgement on Orji Kalu’s ‘N7bn fraud case’

The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed December 2, 2019, for
judgment in the trial of a former governor of Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu,
and two others for an alleged fraud of N7.65bn.

Justice Mohammed Idris fixed judgment day on Tuesday after the
prosecution and the defence adopted their written addresses and
canvassed final arguments in the 12-year-old case.

Standing trial alongside Kalu are his company, Slok Nigeria
Limited; and Udeh Udeogu, who was Director of Finance and Accounts
at the Abia State Government House during Kalu’s tenure as
governor.

In an amended 39 counts, the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission accused them of conspiring and diverting N7.65bn from
the coffers of the state.

In one of the counts, the EFCC alleged that Kalu, who was Abia
State Governor between 1999 and 2007, “did procure Slok Nigeria
Limited – a company solely owned by you and members of your family
– to retain in its account, domiciled with the then Inland Bank
Plc, Apapa branch, Lagos, an aggregate sum of N7,197,871,208.7 on
your behalf.”

The prosecution claimed that the N7.1bn “formed part of the
funds illegally derived from the treasury of the Abia State
Government and which was converted into several bank drafts before
they were paid into the said company’s account.”

The prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said the
ex-governor violated Section 17(c) of the Money Laundering
(Prohibition) Act, 2004, and was liable to be punished under
Section 16 of the same Act.

Apart from the N7.1bn, which he was accused of laundering, the
ex-governor and the other defendants were also accused of receiving
a total of N460m allegedly stolen from the Abia State Government
treasury between July and December 2002.

The prosecutor said they breached Section 427 of the Criminal
Code Act, Cap 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.

But the defendants pleaded not guilty.

In an attempt to prove the allegations, the prosecution called
19 witnesses.

The defendants testified on behalf of themselves in an attempt
to deny the allegations.

On Tuesday, the prosecutor, Jacobs, urged the judge to jail the
defendants as the prosecution had proved the allegations against
them.

Jacobs said the 2nd defendant had already admitted to the
offence both in his extrajudicial statement and under
cross-examination.

“The admission is binding on all the defendants,” the prosecutor
said.

He added that contrary to Kalu’s statement that Abia State did
not have as much as N7bn during his administration, information
from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation showed
total allocation to Abia State under Kalu was N137bn.

However, the defence urged the court to dismiss the charges,
acquit and discharge their clients.

After hearing them all out, Justice Idris fixed December 2 for
judgment.