An appellate court in Abuja has dismissed the Federal Government’s attempt to initiate a new prosecution of former Abia Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, in the N7.6 billion fraud and money laundering case against him.
The court’s three-member panel ruled on Wednesday that the appeal record submitted was flawed, lacking proper documentation as required by court rules.
The lead judgment, delivered by Joseph Oyewole, emphasized that the government failed to adhere to procedural guidelines, as the record was neither stamped nor adequately signed. As a result, the two appeals filed against Kalu and his company were dismissed.
Truthlive news recalls that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had previously prosecuted Kalu, alongside Ude Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited, on charges involving N7.1 billion fraud. Following their conviction by a federal high court in Lagos, Kalu was sentenced to 12 years in prison, Udeogu to 10 years, and Slok Nigeria Limited faced asset forfeiture.
However, the Supreme Court nullified the trial in May 8, 2020 and ordered a retrial, prompting Kalu to seek an end to further prosecution.
He argued that the Supreme Court’s decision on retrial only applied to Udeogu, asserting that subjecting him to a fresh trial would violate double jeopardy principles.
In September 2021, Judge Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court ruled that the Supreme Court’s order did not mandate Kalu’s retrial. While allowing Udeogu’s retrial, Ekwo maintained that Kalu could not be retried based solely on the Supreme Court’s decision.