Abia State governor, Orji Kalu’s N7.6bn fraud trial postponed indefinitely

The trial of former Abia state governor Orji Uzor Kalu has been postponed by Justice Muhammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, September 27, 2018. Kalu, appeared in court over his alleged involvement in a N7.6billion fraud.

The former governor us standing trial alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo, and a company, Slok Nigeria Limited, on an amended 39-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N7.6bn.

The court adjourned the case to today for the defence to open its case. However, upon resumption of the hearing, Justice Idris informed the court that the fiat issued to him by the President of the Court of Appeal would expire tomorrow, September 28, 2018.

Counsel to the first defendant, Awa Kalu, SAN, urged the court saying “My Lord, we are ready to open our case. However, it may be an exercise in futility to start now only to stop tomorrow.

We have two witnesses before the court,  who will need to defend before this matter is brought to conclusion and that may seem impossible because of the expiration of the fiat. It may, therefore, be prudent to determine the faith of the fiat before we continue.”