Alleged N7.1bn Fraud: Court Fixes New Date For Orji Uzor Kalu’s Retrial
The adoption of all processes filed by parties in a suit filed by former Abia Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, seeking to stop his retrial has been set for July 2 at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In February, the court gave Kalu permission to dispute the retrial’s legitimacy.
Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN), counsel for the former governor, informed the court on Wednesday that the respondents had served him with counter-affidavits.
Counsel for the first respondent (EFCC), Oluwaleke Atolagbe, the second respondent, Mr George Ukaegbu, and the third respondent, Mr K.C Nwufor, all acknowledged to filing and exchanging processes.
The judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, said in a brief judgment that the court had taken charge of the matter since all parties had “joined issues.”
The matter was adjourned until July 2 for adoption by Ekwo.
Kalu, who represents Abia North in the Senate, is seeking a court order barring the EFCC from retrying him on the same alleged N7.1 billion money laundering accusation.
He argued that being tried again by the EFCC on the same charge, FHC/ABJ/CR/56/ 2007, would amount to double jeopardy because he had already been convicted and sentenced on the same charge.
The former governor also sought an injunction banning the EFCC from retrying, harassing, or intimidating him in connection with the charge or any other accusation based on the same facts, so that he would not face double jeopardy.
Kalu was previously found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Lagos Division of the court.
The trial court found the former governor, his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, and Jones Udeogu, a former Director of Finance in Abia State, guilty of stealing N7.1 billion from the state treasury.
