Former governor of Abia state, now senator in the National Assembly, Orji Uzor Kalu has been convicted for fraud by the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The Court found Senator Kalu and his co-defendants guilty of the entire 39 counts of the N7.1bn fraud charges brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
EFCC charged Kalu alongside his company, Slok Nig. Ltd and a former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Ude Udeogo.
Justice Mohammed Idris sentenced Kalu to 12 years’ imprisonment while he ordered the winding up of Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited, charged as third defendant in the case.
In the charge brought against the defendants, the EFCC alleged that they committed the alleged offences between August 2001 and October 2005.
It said that Kalu utilised his company’s account to retain N200 million in First Inland bank (now First City Monument Bank).
The commission claimed that the sum formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia State Government. In one of the counts, Kalu’s company (Slok Nig. Ltd.) and one Emeka Abone said to be at large, were alleged to have retained in the company’s account, the sum of N200 million on behalf of the ex-governor.
In counts one to 10, the defendants were alleged to have retained about N2.5 billion belonging to the Abia.
The EFCC said that the defendants diverted over N7.1 billion from Abia government’s treasury during Kalu’s tenure as the governor, in contravention of Sections 15(6), 16 and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005.
The commission said that the offences also contravene the provisions of the Money Laundering Act of 1995 as amended.
