Supreme Court Nullifies Orji Uzor Kalu’s Conviction
The Supreme Court in Abuja has unanimously overturned the conviction of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu in the N7.65billion fraud charge.
Senator Kalu was convicted in December last year, and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for allegedly defrauding the government of Abia State, where he was a governor for 8 years, using his company, Slok Nigeria Limited.
However, the former governor filed a suit challenging the jurisdiction of the Lagos division of the Federal High Court chaired by Justice Mohammed Idris, who delivered the verdict.
Kalu argued that the Court of Appeal Judge, who delivered the judgement at the Federal High Court to convict him, lacked the power to do so.
Despite the objections raised by Senator Kalu’s counsels, the appeal court judge proceeded with the case at the level of the High Court, and subsequently sentenced the Senator.
But the Supreme Court, in its judgment Friday, declared that the judgement of the Court of Appeal, which convicted Kalu, is set aside.
The apex court ruled that Justice Idris, having already been elevated to the Appeal Court, lacked the power to sentence Kalu.
Kalu served as governor of Abia State from 1999 to 2007. Before his now nullified conviction, Kalu was the senator representing Abia North in the National Assembly.
(EyeWitness)
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