FG re-arraigns ex-Abia Gov, Kalu, others over alleged N3.2bn fraud
Nine years after his case was stalled, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, successfully re arraigned the former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu and two others before a Federal High Court in Abuja for corruption charges.
Kalu, his ex-aide, Jones Udeogo, and the former governor’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited were re-arraigned yesterday on a 34-count charge.
Before the arraignment, Kalu and others kicked against their re-arraignment yesterday and urged the court to await the pending appeal by Slok before the Supreme Court.
The trial judge, Justice Anwuri Chikere rejected the defendants’ objection to their arraignment and ordered that the charge be read to them.
Kalu and his co-accused were, in the amended charge, accused of diverting about N3.2 billion from the Abia State Government’s treasury when he (Kalu) held sway as the State governor.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read out to them and the court allowed them on bail on the terms attached to the bail granted them on April 30, 2008 after they were earlier arraigned before Justice Adamu Bello (now retired).
The court adjourned to December 6. 2016 for definite trial.
Kalu and others were initially arraigned in 2007 before Justice Bello (then, of the Federal High Court, Abuja).
Shortly after, Kalu and Udeogo took their pleas, counsel to the ex-Governor, Awa Kalu (SAN) urged the court to allow them remain on the bail earlier granted them.
Kalu gave the court a copy of the enrolled orders made in 2008 by Justice Bello, granting bail to Kalu and Udeogo.
Udeogo’s counsel, Solomon Akuma (SAN) aligned with Kalu’s lawyer and urged the court to adopt Justice Bello’s position.
Prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) did not object to the position canvassed by the defence lawyers and added that he was interested in the trial.
