N7.2b Fraud: Uncertainty As Kalu Remains In Prison

There is an air of mystery surrounding the continued detention of Orji Uzor Kalu, the former governor of Abia state in Kuje Prison in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) despite his conviction being nullified by the Supreme Court last week.

As of Monday, the former Abia state governor was still being remanded in custody.

Some sources say  the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Correctional Service, Mr. Jaafar Ahmed has refused to release Kalu because there is no order from the Supreme Court to that effect while some other accounts posit that the Supreme Court has not sent the warrant of release to the prison authorities.

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There are also fears in some quarters that Kalu may not benefit from the judgment because he was a respondent, rather than the appellant in the case before the apex court.

Recall that it was Jones Udeogu, a former director of finance and accounts at Abia State Government House who filed an appeal to challenge the conviction.

“The court had pronounced that “the case No. FHC/ABJ/CR/56/2007, as it pertains or relates to the Appellant (Udeogu) as the 2nd Defendant at the trial Court, is hereby remitted to the Chief Judge of Federal High Court for re-assignment to another judge of the Federal High Court for trial de novo. Appeal allowed”

It would be recalled that a federal high court in Lagos had sentenced Chief Orji Kalu, chief whip of the senate, to 12 years in prison after he was found guilty of fraud to the tune of N7.56 billion.

The assets of Slok Nigeria Limited, his company, were also forfeited to the federal government.