The Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday disclosed that it would retry a former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, after Supreme Court has voided the judgement convicting him to a 12-year imprisonment.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a seven-man panel of Justices led by Justice Amina Augie, held that the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction when it convicted Mr Kalu, his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu.
It held that trial Justice Mohammed Liman was no longer a judge of the Federal High Court as at the time he sat and delivered the judgement that convicted the defendants for allegedly stealing about N7.1billion from Abia state treasury.
However, the EFCC, in a statement signed by on Friday by Dele Oyewale Head, Media & Publicity of the commission, described the verdict of the apex court as a technical ambush against the trial of the former governor.
According to the commission, the judgment of the apex court is quite unfortunate.
“The Commission is prepared for a fresh and immediate trial of the case because its evidences against Kalu and others are overwhelming.
“The corruption charges against Kalu still subsist because the Supreme Court did not acquit him of them.
“The entire prosecutorial machinery of the EFCC would be launched in a fresh trial where justice is bound to be served in due course,” the statement read in part.
