Former Abia Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has been released from Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja where he was serving a 12-year sentence for looting N
Former Abia Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has been released from Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja where he was serving a 12-year sentence for looting N7.65b belonging to Abia State while he was governor.
Justice Mohammad Liman of the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the release of Kalu on from Kuje on Tuesday following his conviction last December. He was released around 7:30pm.
Recall that in a decision sanctioned by a seven man panel of Justices led by Justice Amina Augie, held that Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court in Lagos which convicted Orji Uzor Kalu did not act with jurisdiction when it convicted the former governor, his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited through which the monies were embezzled as well as a former director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu while Orji was still governor.
In addition, the panel of judges also say the judge which tried and convicted Kalu was no longer a judge of the Federal High Court as at the time he sat and delivered the judgement that convicted the defendants and therefore lacked the powers to sit as judge convict him having been elevated to the Court of appeal at the time of the judgement.
The panel of judges therefore vacated the judgement, ordering for a fresh trial of the defendants.
