The Battle to Secure Kalu’s Release Starts Today
You may recall that we posted news on Orji Kalu’s case that has been in the burns for some time now and although he was sentenced to Kuje prison for allegedly looting the sum of N7.65billion belonging to the Abia State Government.
But according to the judge’s verdict Kalu is said to be not guilty of the charges laid against him. And has since the last hearing been granted bail, but which seem to not be forthcoming and Kalu as filed a hearing to secure his release.
Therefore, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, will today commence the hearing of an application filed by a team of lawyers on behalf of former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, to secure his release.
This follows the Supreme Court judgment of May 8, 2020, which declared that the Judge who sentenced him to 12 years’ imprisonment had no jurisdiction to do so.
Orji is serving a 12-year jail term at the Correctional Service Centre in Kuje, Abuja for looting N7.65billion belonging to the Abia State Government.
The former Governor now a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria hired a 12-man team of lawyers, including six Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to secure his release.
The application pending before Justice Mohammed Liman was filed on May 12 asking the court to nullify his conviction was fixed for today for hearing.
Justice Mohammed Idris who was elevated to the Justice of the court appeal on December 5, 2019, convicted Kalu and a former Director of Finance in the Abia State Government House, Ude Jones Udeogu of the offence of fraud.
Udeogu was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, while Kalu was asked to spend 12 years in prison.
However, following Udeogu’s appeal, the Supreme Court on May 8, 2020, declared that the fiat issued to Justice Idris to conclude the case after he had been elevated to the Court of Appeal was “a nullity”.
The apex court set aside Idris’ verdict “as it relates to the appellant (Udeogu)’s conviction”. Consequently, the court ordered that Udeogu should be released and retried.
Therefore, Kalu, who was not part of the appeal, decided to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the Supreme Court’s judgment which declared the whole trial a nullity and freed Udeogu to contend that no legal basis exists for his continued incarceration.
Ayooluwa Joshua