The trial of a former Governor of Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu, charged with N3.2 billion fraud has suffered another setback at a Federal High Court, Lagos, as the judge was unavailable.the judicial Officer in charge of the case , Justice Mohammed Idris was absent at today’s scheduled proceedings as he was said to be attending a conference outside the state.
Kalu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo, on 34 counts bordering on fraud. Also charged is Kalu’s company, Slok Nigerai Ltd; the accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecution said the money formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia State Government.Slok Nigeria Ltd and Emeka Abone, still at large, were also alleged to have retained in the company’s account the sum of N200 million on behalf of the first accused.
However,The accused had allegedly committed the offences between August 2001 and October 2005 by utilising his company to retain in the account of a First Inland Bank, (now FCMB), the sum of N200 million. The accused were also alleged to have retained about N2.5 billion in different accounts which funds were said to belong to the Abia Government.
it would worthy of note to recall that the last adjustment was on Oct. 3, the absence of Counsel to the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) had stalled trial as he wrote to the court informing it of his absence and asked for a short adjournment which was scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 8.
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