Alleged N3.2b Fraud: Court Adjourns Ex-Gov. Kalu’s Trial To April 12

Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned the ongoing trial of a former Governor of Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu, charged with N3.2 billion fraud, to April 12 for continuation of trial.

Justice Idris adjourned the case after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) requested for an adjournment following the conclusion of the cross-examination of the second prosecution witness, Christiana Ohiri, by the defence.

Kalu and a former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Udeh Jones Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited were arraigned before Justice Mohammed Idris on a 34 count charge of conspiracy, Fraud and money laundering.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, the prosecutor had re-examined a second prosecution witness, Mrs Ohiri, branch Manager of UBA in Umuahia.

The witness, who had began her evidence in March during re-examination, said that she did not personally meet all the people who carried out transactions with the 36 bank drafts issued by her bank.

She told the court that no payments were made to the accused from the Government House account between 2002 and 2005.

When cross-examined by defence counsel, Chief Gordy Uche (SAN), on a document containing information about 36 bank drafts issued by the Umuahia Branch of the bank, the witness said that no draft was paid by the accused or issued in his name.

She said that the accused did not personally come to her to purchase any draft and his name was not included in any of the drafts.

After her evidence, the prosecutor had sought for an adjournment to enable him to proceed with trial at a later date.

He told the court that all efforts to ensure that another witness was brought to court proved abortive.

“My Lord, I was thinking that the defence will spend more time cross-examining the second prosecution witness.

“So, I will be pleading with My Lord for an adjournment; this is the first time we will be seeking for an adjournment in this matter”, he said.

Although the defence had raised objection to the request for adjournment, the court however, adjourned the case until April 12 for continuation of trial.

In one of the counts, his company (Slok Nig Ltd) and one Emeka Abone, who is said to be at large, were also alleged to have retained in the company’s account the sum of N200 million on behalf of the first accused.

They were alleged to have used Manny Bank, (now Fidelity Bank Plc), Spring Bank Plc, the defunct Standard Trust Bank and Fin Land Bank, now First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

On counts one to 10, the accused were alleged to have retained about N2.5 billion in different accounts which funds were said to belong to the Abia State Government.

Cumulatively, in all the counts, the accused were alleged to have diverted over N3.2 billion from the Abia State Government’s treasury during Kalu’s tenure as governor.

The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005.

They also contravened the provisions of the Money Laundering Act of 1995 as amended by the amendment Act No.9 of 2002 and Section 477 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 1990.