N7.1bn Fraud: Court Stops Orji Kalu Retrial

The federal high court in Abuja, has halted the retrial of Orji Uzor Kalu, former Abia state governor, in the N7.1 billion fraud case against him by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Inyang Ekwo, a judge of the high court, ordered a stay of proceedings on the case after Kalu filed an application asking the court to prohibit EFCC and other government agencies from prosecuting him again.

The EFCC had instituted) la 36-count charge against Kalu and Ude Jones Udeogu, a former director of finance and accounts in Abia in 2007.

While the former governor bagged 12 years imprisonment in December 2019, Udeogu was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

However, the supreme court on May 8, 2020 nullified the trial and ordered a retrial after an appeal filed by Kalu’s co-defendant.

But Kalu in an ex parte application, sought the leave of court “to apply for an order of prohibiting the federal republic of Nigeria through the EFCC its officers, servants, others, agents, privies and any other person or bodies deriving authority from the federal republic of Nigeria, from retrying him on charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/56/2007 between FRN vs Orji Kalu & 2 ors or any other charge based on the same facts de novo, there being no extant judgment and ruling of a competent court in Nigeria mandating same”.

Kalu said he was exempted from the retrial order of the supreme court as it was particular to his co-defendant.

He said it will amount to double jeopardy if he is subjected to a fresh trial on the same charge.

Ruling on the application on Monday, Inyang Ekwo, a judge of the high court granted leave to the defendant to pursue his application seeking to stop his retrial.

Ekwo ordered a stay of proceedings until the determination of the application.