By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
Former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and two others standing trial with him will on June 13 take a plea on a further amended charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 30 and as well argue his motion for the ‘No Case’ submission he filed on May 30 before Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court Lagos. The ‘No Case’ motion was in respect of the alleged fraud charge slammed on him and two others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Wednesday May 30, Kalu’s counsel, Chief Awa Kalu (SAN) told the court that he has filed a motion for no case submission on behalf of his client, stressing that the former governor has no case to answer with regard to the alleged fraud charge gor which hr is standing trial
“A motion for no case submission was filed on behalf of the 1st defendant (Dr. Kalu) on May 28 and it has been served on the prosecution”, the silk lawyer submitted.
The other two defendants also filed separate motions for No Case submission through their counsels, Chief Solo Akuma (SAN) and K. C. Nwofo (SAN).
EFCC prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs had earlier drew the attention of court to an amended charge filed by the commission before commencement of proceedings.
“We did inform the court at the last adjourned date that we want to file an amended charge. We have filed the amended charge this morning. We were also served with the defendants’ motion for no case submissions”, Jacobs expressed.
However the defence counsels raised an observation before the court that they were yet to be served with the amended charge and immediately Jacobs opted to serve copies of the charge on the defence counsels in the face of the court.
The move was opposed to by the defence counsels on the ground that the prosecution is only permitted by law to serve it on the defendants.
However, in a bench ruling, Justice Idris directed the service of the charge on the defendants inside the court.
Thereafter, the defence counsels sought for an adjournment to enable them study the amended charge and come up with a decision on what to do over it.
Justice Idris then adjourned further hearing in the matter to June 13 by 12 noon.
