Crimes commission sets for fresh trial of Kalu

Barely few hours after Supreme Court voided  12 year conviction of  former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu for allegedly stealing about N7.1billion from state treasury, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC)declared that it would immediately begin a fresh trial of the accused

Penpushing reports that the Commission in a statement by its Head, Media and Pubicity, Dele Oyewale said it considered the apex court judgement as unfortunate, and a technical ambush against the trial of the former Governor

‘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 statement said.

‘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’,Oyewale wrote.

Penpushing also reports that the Supreme Court led by Justice Amina Augie had on Friday held that the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction when it sentenced the former Governor who served between 1999 and 2007.

The seven-member panel of the apex court  held that trial judge, Justice Mohammed Liman, was no longer a judge of the court as he had been elevated to the Court of Appeal at the time of the judgement and thus lacked the powers to return to sit as a high court judge.

Penpushing also reports the court, therefore, ordered a fresh trial of the former Governor alongside other defendants.