The Federal Government, yesterday asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to order his fresh trial in an alleged N7.1 billion money laundering case. The FG is praying with the court to void and set aside the September 29, 2021 judgement of the Federal High Court, which prohibited it from retrying the former governor and his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited, over an alleged N7.1 billion fraud. The FG, acting through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), also desires to court to order Kalu and Slok to submit themselves for retrial in line with the order of the Supreme Court in it May 8, 2020 judgment voiding the earlier trial and conviction of Kalu and two others, and ordering a retrial.
The request for the retrial is contained in two notices of appeal filed by lawyer to the EFCC Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), against the two judgements delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja on September 29.
The EFCC had prosecuted Kalu alongside Ude Udeogu, a former director of finance and accounts with the Abia state government, and Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited, on 39 counts of fraud involving N7.1 billion at a federal high court in Lagos.
Mohammed Idris, who is now a justice of the court of appeal, had at the end of the trial, sentenced Kalu to 12 years’ imprisonment while Udeogu was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The third defendant, Slok Nigeria Limited, was ordered to be wound up and its assets forfeited to the Nigerian government.
