Alleged fraud: Court fixes May 16 for ex-Gov Orji Kalu’s trial

The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, on Monday, fixed May 16th, 2016 for the former Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Kalu to take his plea on 112 amended count charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Chief Kalu is being re-arraigned before Justice Anwuli Chikere for allegedly defrauding the Abia State government the sum of N5.6bn while he was the governor between 1999 and 2007.

The charge borders on the alleged complicity of the erstwhile governor in money laundering and illegal diversion of public funds.

The Supreme Court had on Friday, March 18, 2016 gave the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the nod to prosecute Orji Uzor Kalu on a 107-count corruption charge it filed against the governor in 2007.

Kalu objection to the charge had stalled the trial for eight years following appeal lodged by the defendant. Kalu was first arraigned before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on July 27, 2007, but through various interlocutory applications had frustrated moves by the prosecution to open its case.

When the suit was mentioned on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atalogbe presented the Supreme Court judgment to the trial judge. He said he needed time to prepare for the trial and applied for an adjournment, which he said would also enable the court to read the Supreme Court judgement which specifically direct the Chief Judge to re-assign the suit for trial.

The defence counsel Awa Kalu (SAN) did not oppose the application. Justice Chikere adjourned the matter till May 16.