Justice Mohammed Idris, sitting at a federal high court, Lagos, Monday, has adjourned the trial of the former Governor of Abia State, senator Orji Uzor Kalu to Tuesday 27th of August, 2019. The court fixed the date sequel to the application of Kalu’s lawyer, Awa Kalu SAN, through the second defendant’s counsel K.C Nwofo SAN, who is said to have come in to Lagos with him but suddenly took ill. He then urged the court to adjourn the case to enable the Senior Advocate of Nigeria recover from the sickness.
Mr Adeniyi Adebisi, who appeared for prosecution, did not oppose the application for an adjournment. Kalu, currently representing Abia North Senatorial district in the Senate of National Assembly, was charged before Idris on an alleged N7.2billion fraud brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC is prosecuting Kalu, his former Commissioner for Finance, Jones Udeogu, and his company, Slok Nigeria Ltd, on an amended 39 count charge of fraud-related offences. EFCC had, on Oct. 31, 2016, preferred a 34 count charges, bordering on N3.2 billion fraud against the accused.
The charges were, however, subsequently amended, and the charges increased to 39 counts. Justice Idris, had presided over trial in the suit but was subsequently elevated to the court of Appeal. In spite of his elevation, he was issued a fiat to continue trial of Kalu but the fiat expired in November 2018. Meanwhile, President of the Appeal court on July 8, issued a fresh fiat for Justice Idris to return and conclude the trial. Based on this, the judge adjourned the case to Tuesday 27th of August, 2019.
