THE conviction of former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu has been nullified by the Supreme Court in a judgment on Friday. The court also nullified the conviction of Ude Udeogu, who was the director of finance and accounts at the Abia State Government House when Kalu governor.
A seven-member panel of the apex court in a unanimous verdict on the appeal delivered by Justice Ejembi Eko, declared that the conviction of the appellants was null and void. According to Justice Eko, the declaration was on the ground that Justice Mohammed Idris, who ab initio delivered the judgment sentencing the appellants, was already a Justice of the Court of Appeal, as at the time he delivered the sentence.
He held that a Justice of the Court of Appeal cannot operate as a judge of the Federal High Court. The apex court, therefore, ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the case for trial.
Justice Mohammed Idris had on December 5, 2019 sentenced the former governor to 12 years in prison for allegedly defrauding the Government of Abia State when he was governor. Udeogu, on his part, got 10 years sentence.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had brought the criminal charge against the duo for conspiring and diverting N7.65 billion from Abia State treasury.
