FRI, MAY 08 2020-theG&BJournal- The Abuja Supreme Court judgement today was predicated on the argument of the counsel to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, that the jurisdiction of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court chaired by Justice Mohammed Idris who delivered the sentence lacked the power to do so.
The Supreme Court ruled that justice Idris having already been elevated to the Appeal Court lacked the power to sentence Kalu and proceeded to set aside the judgement of the Court of Appeal.
Senator Uzor Kalu was convicted and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in December 2019 on 39 count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) alleging that he defrauded the government of Abia State when he was governor to tune of N7.65 billion-during his 8-year tenure-using his company, Slok Nigeria Limited. He was convicted alongside former Abia State director of Finance, Ude Udeogu.
Kalu subsequently challenged the ruling and the jurisdiction of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court chaired by Idris who delivered the judgment.
The Supreme Court sitting in Abuja unanimously overturned the conviction.
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