The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has vowed to re-arraign former Abia State Governor, Orju Uzor Kalu, shortly after the Supreme Court declared that he was illegally convicted and jailed on fraud charges by a Federal High Court.
The Court ordered a re-trial of the charges against Kalu. It held on Friday that the trial Judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted Kalu at the Federal High Court in Lagos, was already a Justice of the Appeal Court and cannot operate in both courts.
Kalu had been serving a 12-year sentence for the charges while assets of his firms affected by the judgment were confiscated by government.
The EFCC in a statement released Friday, described the judgment of the apex court as unfortunate and a “technical ambush against the trial of the former governor”.
The statement issued by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media & Publicity, reads: “The attention of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to the judgment of the Supreme Court nullifying the trial of a former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and Jones Udeogu, a former Director of Finance and Account of Abia State Government and ordering their fresh trial at the lower court.
“The apex court based its verdict on the grounds that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted Kalu and others had been elevated to the Court of Appeal before the judgment and returned to the lower court to deliver the judgment which it considered as illegal.
“The EFCC considers the judgment of the apex court as quite unfortunate. It is a technical ambush against the trial of the former governor.
“The Commission is prepared for a fresh and immediate trial of the case because its evidences against Kalu and others are overwhelming.
“The corruption charges against Kalu still subsist because the Supreme Court did not acquit him of them.
“The entire prosecutorial machinery of the EFCC would be launched in a fresh trial where justice is bound to be served in due course.”
However, Senator Kalu in a statement shortly after the Supreme Court verdict praised the Justices for their “courage”, declaring that he would be joining his colleagues at the Senate soon.
“Today, the Supreme Court of Nigeria gave a judgment in my favor, quashing the conviction which the lower court had entered against me. By today’s judgment, the Apex court of our dear country affirmed my right to fair hearing and equal protection of the law.
“The past five months have been quite a profound period for me. As challenging as that period has been, it has provided me an opportunity to learn invaluable lessons about our country, our peoples, our justice system and the true meaning of love. I mean love for family, love for our country and love for humanity” he stated.
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