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Tag: Orji Kalu

  • Judge gets leave to conclude Kalu’s trial

    Justice Mohammed Idris, who was elevated to the Court of Appeal, has been permitted to conclude the trial of former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Kalu at the Federal High Court in Lagos.

    The ex-governor was charged along with a former Director of Finance in Abia State Government House, Mr. Udeh Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited on 34- count charge of laundering N3.2 billion.

    Kalu’s lawyer, Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN), had written Court of Appeal president, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, asking that Justice Idris be permitted to conclude the case.

    The request is based on Section 396(7) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

    It provides: “A judge of the High Court who has been elevated to the Court of Appeal shall have dispensation to continue to sit as a High Court judge only for the purpose of concluding any part-heard criminal matter pending before him at the time of his elevation and shall conclude the same within a reasonable time.”

     

    The former governor made a no-case submission after EFCC closed its case May 11. Kalu is contending that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case for him to defend.

    According to him, there was no evidence he asked Slok Nigeria Limited to retain any money from Abia State treasury.

    The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), and defence counsel, Chief K.C. Nwofor (SAN) and Solo Akuma (SAN), had on Monday agreed that Justice Idris should conclude the case.

    Jacobs said he wanted to amend the charge, but the defence counsel resisted the move on the basis that the prosecutor ought to obtain the court’s leave first.

    But Jacobs argued that the court’s leave was not needed to amend the charge.

     

  • I’ve forgiven Theodore Orji, says Orji Kalu

    •Confirms moves by APC leaders to resolve Imo crisis

    Former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, at the weekend, broke his silence over the face-off between him and his successor, Senator Theodor Orji, assuring that he has forgiven the estranged former political associate.

    Until now, Kalu, who governed Abia State for eight years, between 1999 and 2007, when he handed over power to Orji, who served as his Chief of Staff, has declined making direct statements on their soured relationship.

    Recalling how his relationship with his successor got bitter, Kalu told The Nation, in an exclusive interview in Lagos at the weekend, that he did not offend Orji in anyway.  “As for the former governor, T. A. Orji, my conscience is clear. I did nothing wrong to him. I did not offend him in any way. This man was in jail and I insisted that he should succeed me as governor. To achieve that, I fought everybody, including the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. At a point they asked me to put my younger brother’s name as the governor instead of Orji and I refused. I made him governor, yet he said all sorts of things against me.”

    Kalu, who is now a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), however said he has forgiven Orji, explaining that he is moving forward. “I have forgiven him. I have nothing against him in my mind. I have moved forward. I thank God that I am alive today to tell this story. I thank God that I was able to stand and help someone. He never knew how the battle to make him governor was fought and won,” he added.

    The APC chieftain also explained what the Southeast leaders of the party are doing currently to resolve the Imo crisis. “I believe we are a family and should work together. But allegation about siding one side is not true. People should be sincere. I am not for or against any side in this matter. What I want and what the leaders of APC in the Southeast want is peace in the family so that the party will win elections. I can assure you that our leaders, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Senator Ken Nnamani and the others are on it. They are now working round the clock to settle the frictions in Imo, Enugu and so on. It is a family destined to win, so we will work together and win,” he said. (See full interview on pages 14 and 15).

     

  • EFCC closes case in Kalu’s trial

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday closed its case in the trial of former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.

    EFCC re-arraigned Kalu, a former Director of Finance in Abia State Government House, Udeh Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited on 34- count charge of laundering N3.2billion.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The Commission said the defendants allegedly diverted about N3.2billion from the Abia’s treasury while Kalu was the governor.

    The court admitted the statement of a former Abia State ALGON Chairman, Chinedu Melechi, in which he disclosed that expenditures in the joint account of state and local governments are either statutory or by resolution.

    The EFCC’s witness, Chidi Chukwuka, had on Thursday told the court that in line with code of conduct for public office holders, Kalu declared his assets at both his first term in office in 1999 and upon his re-election in 2003.

    While being cross-examined by Kalu’s lawyer, Chief Awa Kalu (SAN), the witness disclosed that a petition authored by a former Deputy Governor of Abia State, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, against Dr. Kalu, was the basis of the investigation carried out by his team.

    Chukwuka confirmed that the petition leading to Kalu’s trial was authoured by Abia Leaders Forum, raising allegations of money laundering and stealing against the ex-governor.

    The investigator confirmed that the petition was signed by Senator Enyinne Abaribe, who was impeached as Abia State Deputy Governor by the state House of Assembly.

    “You must be aware that the process of impeachment led to bad blood between the signatory and the first defendant,” Kalu said.

    “We were not aware he was impeached. So, we didn’t take that into consideration. We looked at the issues before us and we followed it professionally,” the investigator said.

    “I suggest to you that that bad blood led to Exhibit G (the petition),” the counsel said.

    “My Lord, like I said earlier, in our practice at the EFCC, we look at issues in a petition without emotions or personal feelings towards persons that are involved,” Chukwuka responded.

     

  • Alleged N3.2bn fraud: Prosecution closes case against Kalu

    The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on Friday closed its case against a former Governor of Abia, Orji Kalu and two others charged with N3.2 billion fraud.

    The EFCC Prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), announced closure of the prosecution’s case at the Federal High Court, Lagos. He, however, informed the court that the prosecution intended to amend the charge against the accused to reflect more evidence.

    The EFCC had on Oct. 31, 2016, slammed a 34-count charge bordering on N3.2 billion fraud against Kalu, his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo, and Slok Nigeria Ltd. The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bails.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jacobs had led the 17th prosecution witness, Chidi Chukwuka, in evidence at the last adjournment.

    At the resumed trial of the case on Friday, Kalu’s counsel, Mr Awa Kalu (SAN), continued the cross-examination of the witness. Chukwuka had earlier told the court that he was a Deputy Director in the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and an investigator with the EFCC as at the time of the alleged fraud.

    He said during his investigations, he had obtained statements from Mr Samuel Iheke, a former Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

    He said he also obtained statements from Mr Chinedum Elechi, the then Secretary, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Abia.

    Awa applied to tender the statements the witness had identified and same were admitted and marked as Exhibits Z to Z9 respectively. When the witness was asked what the state officials had told him was the reason for the N26 million monthly withdrawals from the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) account of the state, the witness replied: “The officials had claimed that the withdrawals were used for sanitation in Abia State.”

    He testified that over N2.5 billion was transferred from the Abia Government House main account to Abia State University and Secondary Education
    Management Board accounts.

    Counsel to the second accused, Mr Solo Akuma (SAN), asked if the witness was fully involved in the investigation to which he responded in the affirmative.

    Akuma : By count 24 of the charge preferred by the EFCC against the accused, is it correct to say that the N554 million came in various cheques?

    Witness : I don’t know, He said the EFCC did not investigate the accused before the petition from Eyinnaya Abaribe.

    Mr Kingsley Nwofo (SAN), counsel to Slok Nigerai Ltd., asked the witness if any of the statements had shown funds move from the Government House accounts to the third accused (Slok), he responded in the negative.

    There was no re-examination and the witness was discharged.

    Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned the case until May 30 and May 31 for defence to open their case.

    The EFCC alleged that Kalu and the others committed the offences between August 2001 and October 2005.

    The commission accused Kalu of utilising his company, Slok Nigerai Ltd., to retain N200 million in the account of First Inland Bank ( acquired by First City Monument Bank, FCMB).

    It said the sum formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the state government.

    The commission also said that the accused had in different bank accounts about N2.5 billion belonging to Abia and diverted about N3.2 billion from the coffers of the government.

    The offences contravened sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005 and the Money Laundering Act of 1995 (as amended by Act No.9 of 2002 and Section 477 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 1990.

  • Obasanjo wrote Bush over my U.S property – Kalu

    A former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, told the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday that former President Olusegun Obsanjo wrote his United States counterpart, George W. Bush, to enquire about his (Kalu’s) property in the U.S.

    The former governor accused Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who was impeached as deputy governor, of writing a petition against him due to “bad blood” between them.

    While cross-examining a prosecution witness in Kanu’s trial for alleged money laundering of about N2.9billion, the former governor’s lawyer, Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN), said Obasanjo had interest in the property.

    He, however, did not state the nature of the former President’s interest or what Obasanjo wrote in his letter to Bush.

    A forensic investigator at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chidi Chukwuka, said he was not aware that Obasanjo wrote Bush over Kalu’s property.

    Kalu was said to have bought the Potomac house worth $1.7million in 2003.

    Chukwuka said the letter between Obasanjo and Bush, if there was any, was of no interest to the EFCC.

    Kalu also alleged that there was a similar correspondence between Obasanjo and former United Kingdom Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

    “I suggest to you that it was not only the EFCC that was interested in the property in Exhibit W1. I said so because then President Olusegun Obasanjo had correspondence with then U.S President, George W. Bush,” the lawyer said.

  • Workers’ Day: Kalu calls for improved working conditions‎

    Former governor of Abia, Dr Orji Kalu, has urged public and private establishments in the county to accord high priority to the welfare of workers in their various organisations.

    Kalu made the appeal in a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser, Mr Kunle Oyewumi, to commemorate the 2018 Workers’ Day.

    In the statement made available to our reporter in Abuja, Kalu said that all tiers of government must provide conducive working environment to enable workers demonstrate their intellectual capacity.

    While acknowledging the contributions of Nigerian workers to nation building, Kalu said that no nation can develop without a vibrant labour force.

    “Nigeria is blessed with enormous human capital.

    “The labour force is being celebrated across the globe owing to the key role they play in national development.

    “The demography of Nigeria is such that if workers are motivated to work aggressively, the nation will quickly take its rightful place in the comity of nations.‎

    “As an employer of labour, I do understand the pains of workers and as such, it is important for both employers and employees to always reach a compromise on work hours, wage and salaries, insurance and other benefits for workers,” Kalu said.

    He also emphasized the need to periodically review the labour laws with a view to accommodate emerging trends.

    “The Nigerian labour laws must be periodically reviewed to accommodate new developments across the globe.

    “While I urge government at all levels to protect the interests of workers, may I also task the labour force to increase productivity.

    “Only a vibrant labour force will take Nigeria to its desired level,” Kalu said.

    NAN

  • No division in APC – Kalu

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Orji Kalu, said on Saturday there is no division in the party.

    Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, stated this during his visit to the Deji of Akure.

    He said all arms of the party had agreed to work together.

    Kalu said: “The National Executive Committee of the party only asked Chief John Odigie- Oyegun, the APC National Chairman, to act since elections are approaching.

    “Oyegun himself never asked for tenure elongation and that is the truth.

    “But President Muhammadu Buhari said everything must be done according to constitution of the party.”

    According to him, the party will hold its congress and every member of the party has right to contest.

    The ex-governor, however, applauded the President’s efforts at tackling insecurity in the country, saying he has done well.

    “I score President Buhari 89 per cent on security because Boko Haram almost took Abuja before he came to power and some of the equipment meant to tackle insecurity is being purchased now.

    “Gradually, we are getting there,” he said.

    He cautioned Nigerians, especially those at helms of affairs to guard their utterances that could endanger the peace of the country.

    “It is unfortunate that some utterances emanating from some leaders are not well guarded.

    “If we know what happened to Rwanda, people will not be making such mistake but preach peace.

    “There is no good Miyetthi Allah member that will kill his fellow Nigerians. We have been living with northerners for long without problem,” he added.

    NAN

  • EFCC set to close case in Kalu’s trial

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Thursday it may close its case in the trial of former Abia State Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, after a review.

    The EFCC has called 16 witnesses since the case commenced.

    The former governor is standing trial before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged money laundering.

    EFCC re-arraigned Kalu, a former Director of Finance in Abia State Government House, Udeh Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited on 34 –count charge of laundering N3.2billion.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the judge he would like to review prosecution’s evidence so far to determine if there is need to call additional witnesses.

    He said: “My lord, I ought to have closed my case today but I want to plead that the court gives me a day to look into all that we have presented so far in proving our case against the defendants before doing so.”

    The 16th prosecution witness, Nonye Eghene, a compliance officer at the Diamond Bank Plc, tendered a document containing Slok’s account statement.

    The witness said the transactions on the firm’s account were done before she joined the bank in 2008.

    Under cross-examination by Kalu’s lawyer, Chief Gordy Uche (SAN), the witness denied knowledge of a facility of $10 million from United States’ Exim Bank to Slok which was guaranteed by Diamond Bank.

    She was later asked by the lawyer to read out a letter from Diamond Bank to the EFCC which contained details of the transaction.

    Justice Idris adjourned the matter till April 16.

  • Money laundering: Kalu, EFCC trade blames over trial delay

    A former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday traded blames on who was responsible for delay in the former governor’s trial for alleged money laundering.

    The Commission re-arraigned Kalu, Udeh Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited at the Federal High Court in Lagos on 34- count charge of laundering N3.2billion, to which they pleaded not guilty.

    Kalu’s lawyer, Chief Charles Enwelunta, had accused the prosecution of unduly prolonging the trial.

    He said the delay was taking a negative toll on the defendants and their businesses.

    The lawyer said: “The defendants who are presumed innocent until it is contrarily proved are already having the feeling that they are being punished.

    “Their businesses have suffered and they cannot plan again for anything because of this case. Even, we as counsel cannot plan our time for anything again because of this suit.”

    Enwelunta said the prosecution indicated that it would close its case on Monday to enable the defendants open their defence.

    The counsel said he was surprised that prosecution counsel plans to call additional seven witnesses.

    At least 13 witnesses have so far testified for the prosecution.

    “At the last adjourned date, the prosecutor gave us an impression that he would close his case today (Monday) but I just learnt that an additional proof of evidence containing names of seven new witnesses has again been filed by the prosecution.

    “No one has an idea of when the prosecution will close its case in this matter. I urged my lord to intervene,” he said.

    Udeogu’s lawyer, Chief Solo Akuma (SAN), added that the prosecution’s case was becoming endless.

    “My lord, we were just served further additional proof of evidence containing names of seven additional witnesses by the prosecution.

    “This is after we were told that the prosecution would close its case today (yesterday). From all indications, the prosecution of this case is becoming endless,” he said.

    Slok Nigeria’s lawyer, K. C. Nwofor (SAN), agreed with his colleagues.

    But, EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), denied that the prosecution was responsible for the delay.

    He said the defendants were to blame for filing an interlocutory appeal that went up to the Supreme Court for nearly 10 years.

    “The case was filed since 2007 and the defendants were challenging jurisdiction till 2015 before the Supreme Court made a final pronouncement on the issue.

    “I cannot be forced to close my case because we need to bring the facts before the court,” Jacobs said.

    Justice Mohammed Idris said it was not the court’s duty to direct the prosecution on how to handle its case.

  • Kalu to Buhari: Arrest Obasanjo over $16b electricity scam

    Former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, on Tuesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to arrest former President Obasanjo Obasanjo over the $16 billion electricity scam.

    He said although President Buhari has the guts to fight corruption, he must prove to Nigerians that he is truly fighting corruption by arresting Obasanjo.

    Kalu, who boasted to be a wealth creator, said he is stronger than President Buhari at fighting corruption and would return Nigeria’s money to the people if he was in the position to do so.

    The former governor spoke at a public lecture titled: “Culture, Economy and Good governance: The Nigerian Experience,” organised by the Nigerian Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO).

    He condemned state governors for not being creators of wealth but instead rush to Abuja every month to share oil money without knowing what it takes to make money.

    He said: “I call on every aspect of our society for people to invest more on our cultural relationship with others, culture can be a lot, when you go to Calabar to Badagry towards the Atlantic Ocean. We don’t need to do any other job, we don’t even need crude oil, I can develop this economy without crude oil, crude oil is secondary.

    “With our population and intellectual capacity crude oil is a curse to the country, that is the truth. Because it is keeping us backwards, we can make money from things.”