EFCC APPLIES FOR THE RETRIAL OF ORJI KALU
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has applied for the retrial of former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.
The prosecuting counsel for the anti-graft agency, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the Punch Newspapers that the Commission had applied for a fresh trial and is, therefore, waiting for the Federal High Court Chief Judge to reassign Kalu’s N7.65bn fraud case to a judge.
“We are not filing new charges. We have applied to the CJ to reassign the case in line with the decision of the Supreme Court. We have yet to see whether it has been assigned,” Jacob told Punch Newspapers.
Kalu, who is also representing the people of Abia North in the Senate was convicted of N7.65bn fraud December 5 last year and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.
The Supreme Court on May 8 nullified the judgement which convicted Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of corruption on the grounds that Justice Mohammed Idris, who gave the verdict, lacked jurisdiction to preside over the case because as at when he delivered the judgement, he was already a Justice of the Court of Appeal.
The apex court subsequently ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the case for trial.
Kalu who regained his freedom on Thursday, June 4, returned to the Senate today.
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