FEW DAYS INTO COMMENCEMENT OF 12 YEAR JAIL TERM, CRIMES COMMISSION EMBARKS ON SEIZURE OF KALU’S PROPERTIES
The Agency’s spokesperson, in a statement captioned, ‘N7.65bn Fraud: EFCC Marks Ex-Abia Gov, Orji Kalu’s Properties’ explained that, the action came following an order by a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court to wound up assets belonging to Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Ltd.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday, December 14, 2019, marked properties belonging to a former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu. The marking is to ensure that the properties are not dissipated, following the December 5, 2019 order of Justice Muhammed Idris sitting at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos that Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited, be wound up and all assets forfeited to the Federal Government’.
Penpushing further reports that, Kalu had been arraigned alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited and Udeh Udeogu, his Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House, over an amended 39-count charge bordering on conspiring and diverting the sum of N7.65bn from the coffers of the state.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them by the Economic Crimes and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), thereby leading to their full trial, and in the course of the trial, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, (SAN), called 19 witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court.
The defendants, however, testified on behalf of themselves during the trial, while the prosecution counsel, Jacobs in his final submission urged the judge to jail the defendants, saying the prosecution had proved the allegations against them.
Penpushing also reports that, the prosecution counsel urged the court to wind up the company as provided by the Law and all its assets forfeited to the Federal Government, but the defence counsel urged the court to “dismiss the charges, acquit and discharge” their clients.
The Judge Justice Idris in his judgment held that the prosecution had established its case against the defendants, stressing that, “the case was conclusively investigated, as the prosecution conducted thorough investigations” ,and found the defendants guilty on all counts.
Penpushing reports that, the court ‘therefore, convicted and sentenced the first defendant, Kalu to five years imprisonment on counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11; three years on counts 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33; 12 years on counts 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 and five years on count 39.
The second defendant was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment on counts 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32 and 10 years on counts 34, 37, 38 and 39, while the judge further held that “In respect of the third convict, Slok Nigeria Limited, an order is hereby made that the company shall hereupon and without further assurances, but for this order, be wound up and all its assets and properties forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
