Ex-Gov, Orji Kalu Jailed For 12 Years For N7.65b Fraud

A former Nigerian governor and serving senator, Orji Uzor Kalu has been sentenced to prison for twelve year after being found guilty of corruption related case with sum running into tune of N7.65 billion.

A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos and presided over by Justice Mohammad Idris, pronounced the former governor guilty in the fraud case which had spanned twelve years.

Also convicted and sentenced are two other accomplices, his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and Udeh Udeogu, who was Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House during his tenure as governor.

Justice Idris convicted and sentenced the first defendant, Kalu, to five years imprisonment on counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11; three years on counts 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33; 12 years on counts 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 and five years on count 39.

All the sentences are to run concurrently, an indication that he would be in prison for 12 years from the day of conviction.

The second defendant was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment on counts 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32 and 10 years on counts 34, 37, 38 and 39.

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The sentences will run concurrently meaning he would be in jail for 10 years.

The judge also ordered that Slok Nigeria Limited be wound up and its assets forfeited to the Federal Government.

Kalu, who currently representing Abia North at the National Assembly, was prosecuted on a 27 counts charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the financial crime agency’s spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said on Thursday.