A foremost human rights activist, Femi Falana SAN, has accused
the members of the ruling class of repealed a section of the ACJA
just for their interests.
He made this remark while reacting to the Judgment of the
Supreme Court in the case of Orji Uzo Kalu.
Falana recalled that the Section 396(7) of ACJA was introduced
to stop rampant instances where criminal cases involving high
profile personalities were stalled for a long period as a result of
the elevation of the trial judge to a higher court.
He also made reference on how the trial of a former Managing
Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank, Erastus Akingbola,
which had been fixed for final arguments, was made to start afresh,
because the then trial judge, Justice Habeeb Abiru, was elevated to
the Court of Appeal bench.
He said, “The same members of the ruling class have now got the
Section of ACJA annulled. Head or tail, the members of the ruling
class win, and it is the system that suffers.
“The Nigerian legal system has demonstrated its capacity to
function effectively and serve the interests of the pampered
members of the ruling class.
“A couple of months ago, ex-Emir Lamido Sanusi’s ex parte
application to secure his personal liberty from illegal banishment
was assigned, heard and granted the day it was filed at the
registry of the federal court. On that same day, the certified true
copy of the court order was obtained, served and obeyed by the
detaining authorities.”
Falana noted that Kalu’s appeal against his conviction and
sentence was pending at the Court of Appeal while the proceedings
at the trial court were quashed on the basis of the appeal filed by
his co-defendant, Jones Udeogu.
He added, “Notwithstanding the order of the Supreme Court that
the trial is commenced de novo (afresh), the case will not be
concluded soon.
“Once again, the trial will have to go back to the Supreme
Court!”
Nairalaw recalls that the Supreme Court nullified the
judgment which convicted the former Governor of Abia State, Orji
Uzor Kalu.
A seven-man panel of the apex court also set aside the judgment
which convicted Ude Udeogu, a former Director of Finance and
Account at the Abia State Government House.
A foremost human rights activist, Femi Falana SAN, has accused
the members of the ruling class of repealed a section of the ACJA
just for their interests.
He made this remark while reacting to the Judgment of the
Supreme Court in the case of Orji Uzo Kalu.
Falana recalled that the Section 396(7) of ACJA was introduced
to stop rampant instances where criminal cases involving high
profile personalities were stalled for a long period as a result of
the elevation of the trial judge to a higher court.
He also made reference on how the trial of a former Managing
Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank, Erastus Akingbola,
which had been fixed for final arguments, was made to start afresh,
because the then trial judge, Justice Habeeb Abiru, was elevated to
the Court of Appeal bench.
He said, “The same members of the ruling class have now got the
Section of ACJA annulled. Head or tail, the members of the ruling
class win, and it is the system that suffers.
“The Nigerian legal system has demonstrated its capacity to
function effectively and serve the interests of the pampered
members of the ruling class.
“A couple of months ago, ex-Emir Lamido Sanusi’s ex parte
application to secure his personal liberty from illegal banishment
was assigned, heard and granted the day it was filed at the
registry of the federal court. On that same day, the certified true
copy of the court order was obtained, served and obeyed by the
detaining authorities.”
Falana noted that Kalu’s appeal against his conviction and
sentence was pending at the Court of Appeal while the proceedings
at the trial court were quashed on the basis of the appeal filed by
his co-defendant, Jones Udeogu.
He added, “Notwithstanding the order of the Supreme Court that
the trial is commenced de novo (afresh), the case will not be
concluded soon.
“Once again, the trial will have to go back to the Supreme
Court!”
Nairalaw recalls that the Supreme Court nullified the
judgment which convicted the former Governor of Abia State, Orji
Uzor Kalu.
A seven-man panel of the apex court also set aside the judgment
which convicted Ude Udeogu, a former Director of Finance and
Account at the Abia State Government House.