A Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the fresh corruption trial of former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order based on the judgment of the Supreme Court, which nullified the conviction of Senator Kalu over alleged laundering of seven point one billion naira belonging to the Abia State Government.
In his ruling on an application filed by Senator Kalu’s lawyer, Justice Ekwo said that the Supreme Court did not order the retrial of Senator KALU or his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, in its judgment on May 8, 2020.
The Judge held that the Supreme Court only ordered the retrial of a former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu, who appealed the judgment of the lower court.
Recall that Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos had sentenced Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to twelve years in prison in December, 2019.
However; the Supreme Court nullified the judgment on the ground that Justice Idris had already been promoted to the Court of Appeal when he delivered the judgment.