After twelve years of trial, a Federal High Court in Lagos, set to deliver judgement in the trial of former governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu, and two others for an alleged fraud of about eight billion naira tomorrow.
The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, fixed the date after the prosecution and the defence adopted their written addresses and made their final arguments on October 22.
Mr Kalu was tried alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited and Udeh Udeogu, who was Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House during Mr Kalu’s tenure as governor.
In an amended 39 counts, they were accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of conspiring and diverting the said sum from the state treasury.
The prosecution claimed that the said sum was converted into several bank drafts before they were paid into Slok Nigeria Limited.
EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said the ex-governor violated Section 17(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, and was liable to be punished under Section 16 of the same Act.
Apart from the said sum, which he was accused of laundering, the ex-governor and the other defendants were also accused of receiving a total of four hundred and sixty million naira also from the state purse between July and December 2002.
The prosecutor said they breached Section 427 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts.
EFCC called nineteen witnesses to proof their case while the defendants testified on behalf of themselves against the allegations.
