JUST IN: Court Sentences Orji Uzor Kalu, To 12 Years In Jail…. …Court Winds Up Company

…Court winds up company

The Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted a former governor
of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, who was charged with N7.1bn
fraud.

The court found him and his co-defendants guilty of the entire
39 counts filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission.

Justice Mohammed Idris sentenced Kalu to 12 years’ imprisonment
while he ordered the winding up of Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria
Limited, charged as third defendant in the case.

Recall that the defendant was initially arraigned before the
Federal Court 12 years ago but his trial was stalled.

On July 17, 2018, and 11 years after his first arraignment, the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) on filed a fresh 39
count charges of fraud against the former governor of over alleged
N7.65bn fraud.

Kalu was re-arraigned alongside his company, Slok Nigeria
Limited, and Ude Udeogu, who served under him as the Director of
Finance and Account, Abia State Government House.

TheNigerialawyer recalls that the re-arraignment of the
defendants before the court followed an amendment to the charges
filed against them 11 years ago.

With the amendment, the prosecution increased the number of
charges against the defendants from the initial 34 to 39.

The amount quoted to have been allegedly diverted, stolen and
laundered by the defendants was also increased from N2.9bn to
N7.65bn.

The prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN),
said the amendment to the charges became necessary in view of new
facts revealed by some of the 19 witnesses who had testified
against Kalu and his co-defendants in court.

Details later…

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