The federal high court in Lagos has sentenced the former governor of
Abia State Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to 12 years imprisonment after being
found guilty on all the 39-count charges brought against him.
He was convicted of N7.65billion fraud perpetuated when he was Abia State governor between 1999 and 2007.
Kalu was convicted alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and his former Abia State director of finance, Ude Udeogu.
The court also ordered forfeiture of all assets of his company to the federal government.
Justice Mohammed Idris, who delivered the sentence, had earlier
declared him guilty of the charge in the case that had been on for 12
years.
In an amended 39-counts-charge, they were accused by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of conspiring and diverting over N7
billion from the coffers of the state.
In one of the counts, the EFCC alleged that Kalu “did procure Slok
Nigeria Limited – a company solely owned by you and members of your
family – to retain in its account, domiciled with the then Inland Bank
Plc, Apapa branch, Lagos, an aggregate sum of N7,197,871,208.7 on your
behalf.”
The prosecution claimed that the N7.1 billion “formed part of the
funds illegally derived from the treasury of the Abia State Government
and which was converted into several bank drafts before they were paid
into the said company’s account.”
The prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, said the ex-governor violated
Section 17(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, and was
liable to be punished under Section 16 of the same Act.
Apart from the N7.1bn, which he was accused of laundering, the
ex-governor and the other defendants were also accused of receiving a
total of N460 million allegedly stolen from the Abia State Government
treasury between July and December 2002.
The prosecutor said they breached Section 427 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.
The defendants had pleaded not guilty to all counts.
During the trial, the prosecution called 19 witnesses while the defendants testified by themselves.
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