A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, from prison.
Recall that the Supreme Court judgement of Friday, 8 April, had voided the appeal court judgment sentencing him to12-year imprisonment for swindling the sum of N7.6 billion belonging to the Abia State.
Subsequently, Nigerian Correctional Service, NCS, refused to release Mr Kalu, claiming that they had not received a signal from the apex court.
In reaction to the refusal of NCS, Mr Kalu, a lawmaker who represents Abia North in the Senate hired a 12 man team of lawyers, including six Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, to prosecute his freedom bid.
In his motion, Mr Kalu contended that no legal basis existed for his continued incarceration following the Supreme Court’s judgment which declared his trial a nullity and freed Udeogu.
He had filed the motion on May 12 asking the court to nullify his conviction, while the court reserved the case for June 2 (today).
In his ruling, on Tuesday, Justice Muhammed Liman held that the motion was meritorious and that he was bound by the judgment of the Supreme Court.
He, consequently, ordered the immediate release of Mr Kalu from the Kuje Correctional Centre where he is currently being detained.
