The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on Saturday, December 14, 2019, moved to the next level in
fulfilling the terms of court sentence passed on former Abia State governor,
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
The anti-graft agency said it has
begun marking properties belonging to him to seek reparation for the N7.65b
stolen from the Abia state treasury..
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.
Kalu, who is the Senator
representing Abia North in the National Assembly, 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 EFCC, thereby leading to their full
trial.
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.
The parties, during the
proceedings on Tuesday, October 22, 2019, adopted their final written
addresses.
In his final submission, the
prosecution counsel, Jacobs, urged the judge to jail the defendants, saying the
prosecution had proved the allegations against them.
Jacobs also urged the court to
wind up the company as provided by the Law and all its assets forfeited to the
Federal Government.
However, the defence counsel
urged the court to “dismiss the charges, acquit and discharge” their clients.
Delivering his judgment, Justice
Idris found the defendants guilty on all counts.
Justice Idris held that the
prosecution had established its case against the defendants.
The Judge further held that “the
case was conclusively investigated, as the prosecution conducted thorough
investigations.”
Justice Idris, 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.
Justice Idris 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.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com