A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from retrying former Abia State governor, Orji Kalu, on charges of money laundering.
Kalu had been convicted and sentenced to 12 years in jail for the allegation of diverting N7 billion belonging to Abia State government.
He was taken to the Kuje prison where he spent about three months until in May 20,2020 when the Supreme Clirt voided his conviction.
The EFCC had prosecuted him and a former director of finance and accounts with the Abia state government,
Ude Udeogu since 2007.
The judge who convicted Kalu, Mohammed Idris, delivered the ruling after he had already been elevated as a justice of the Appeal Court. That technical glitch was the basis for the annulment of Kalu’s conviction.
The EFCC then rearraigned Kalu and his co-accused.
However, Justice Iyang Ekwo ruled: “An order is hereby made prohibiting the Federal Government through the EFCC from retrying the applicant (Kalu) on charge no. FHC/ABJ/CR/56/2007, since there was no order in the judgment of the Supreme Court for the retrial of Kalu”.
