The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed December 2, 2019 for judgment in the trial of a former governor of Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu, and two others for an alleged fraud of N7.65bn. Justice Mohammed Idris fixed judgment day on Tuesday after the prosecution and the defence adopted their written addresses and canvassed final arguments in the 12-year-old case.
Standing trial alongside Kalu are his company, Slok Nigeria Limited; and Udeh Udeogu, who was Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House during Kalu’s tenure as governor. In an amended 39 counts, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accused them of conspiring and diverting N7.65bn from the coffers of the state.
In one of the counts, the EFCC alleged that Kalu, who was Abia State Governor between 1999 and 2007, “did procure Slok Nigeria Limited – a company solely owned by you and members of your family – to retain in its account, domiciled with the then Inland Bank Plc, Apapa branch, Lagos, an aggregate sum of N7,197,871,208.7 on your behalf.”
