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Tag: Orji Kalu

  • EFCC witness in alleged N2.3bn fraud against Orji Kalu ‘relocates’ to Cameroon

    EFCC witness in alleged N2.3bn fraud against Orji Kalu ‘relocates’ to Cameroon

    Akpan Udoh, an accountant in the Abia State Government House, who was scheduled to testify in the alleged N3.2 billion fraud trial of the former Abia Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, has relocated to Cameroon.

    The counsel to the prosecution told a Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday that Mr. Udoh was listed as a witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The EFCC had on October 31, 2016 slammed a 34-count charge bordering on N3.2 billion fraud against Kalu and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo as well as Kalu’s company — Slok Nigeria Ltd.

    Mr. Kalu and others allegedly committed the offences between August 2001 and October 2005.

    The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    So far, the prosecution had called no fewer than 12 witnesses since the trial began.

    At the trial of the case at the previous adjournment, the EFCC Prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) had called the 13th prosecution witness, Tobore Ovie, who introduced himself as an operative with the EFCC.

    He was led in evidence by the prosecutor who also tendered some documents through the witness.

    At Tuesday’s proceedings, the witness was reminded that he was still under oath and counsel to the first accused, Awa Kalu (SAN) began cross-examination.

    The witness told the court that he did not know if the prosecution’s intended witness, Mr. Udoh, an accountant in Abia State Government House who EFCC claimed was on the run, is still alive

    He said that he had not met Mr. Udoh before and that he did not reside with the first accused.

    During re-examination, the witness said that Mr. Udoh had deliberately evaded giving evidence and that he had earlier been cooperating with the commission before they lost contact with him.

    According to the witness, they were able to reach his brother who claimed that Mr. Udoh had relocated to Cameroon.

    “Further efforts to get his call logs from his service provider showed that he has been hovering between Cameroon, Republic of Benin and Katsina State.”

    The prosecution called its next witness, who, in his evidence-in-chief introduced himself as Emojevwe Eboh, a compliance officer with a commercial bank.

    He told the court that his scope of duty involves responding to requests from regulator bodies and law enforcement agencies.

    The witness disclosed that the EFCC wrote a letter to the bank requesting for the account statement and opening packages of General Ventures Nigeria Ltd.

    He said the required authenticated documents including the certificate of identification were made available to the commission.

    The prosecution tendered the documents the witness identified and the letter the commission wrote to the bank, requesting those documents and were marked as Exhibits R six to R 60.

    The witness identified the first accused and Godwin Akubuike as the shareholders and directors of General Ventures Nigeria Ltd.

    He further listed 40 local cheques credited into the company’s account.

    Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned the case until March 28 and March 29 for cross-examination.

    Mr. Kalu was alleged to have utilised his company to retain in the account of a commercial bank the sum of N200 million.

    The sum was said to have formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia State Government.

    Slok Nigeria Ltd and a man, Emeka Abone, who is still at large, were also alleged to have retained in the company’s account the sum of N200 million on behalf of the first accused (Kalu).

    The accused were alleged to have retained about N2.5 billion in different accounts which funds were said to belong to the Abia State Government.

    Cumulatively, the accused were alleged to have diverted over N3.2 billion from the state government’s treasury during Mr. Kalu’s tenure as governor.

    The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibitions) Act, 2005.

    The offences also violated the Money Laundering Act of 1995 (as amended) Act No.9 of 2002 and Section 477 of the Criminal Code, Law of the Federation, 1990.

     

  • Kalu urges Tinubu to accelerate reconciliation of aggrieved APC members

    Former Abia governor, Dr Orji Kalu has called on the National Leader of the All Progressive Congress ( APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to accelerate efforts toward reconciling aggrieved members of the ruling party.

    Kalu made the call on Sunday night while speaking with newsmen at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

    He said the task given by President Muhammadu Buhari to Tinubu was very apt because there was an urgent need to reconcile feuding members of the party.

    According to him, the situation whereby a serving governor and a minister who belong to APC are engaged in bickering at a time concerted efforts are needed to return the party to victory in 2019 is not good.

    Kalu said: “I have reported this to the highest authority of the party that it is not proper for a governor and minister in Ibadan to go two parallel ways.

    “It is not to the benefit of the president and neither is it to the benefit of the party, it is not the benefit of Nigerians; the synergy needed to accelerate cohesion in the ruling party will not be there.

    “We need to thank Mr President in his wisdom in giving the mandate to the national leader of APC the opportunity to reconcile members of the party.

    “I am very excited that such a thing is happening. I am confident it will be a good beginning for my brother and friend, Tinubu to execute the reconciliation task very well.

    “I am confident Tinubu will be blunt to settle feuding members of the APC.”

    He noted that Buhari had the constitutional right to seek for re-election, adding that the only reason the president might not run in 2019 would be solely on health grounds.

    According to him, Buhari is an honest man and will let Nigerians know whether he will contest or not at the appropriate time.

    “Buhari is an honest man. If he is interested in running, he will tell Nigerians that he will run. We pray that his health gets better and that his doctors give him a clean bill of health.

    “You know Buhari is also a man of conscience; if he feels his health will not allow him to seek re-election he will not go ahead, but if he feels he is capable of running, he will seek re-election.

    “It is his decision, it his right, he is entitled to second term,” he said.

    The ex-governor, who commended the president for the ongoing construction of the Second Niger Bridge, stressed that he had done well in his first term and there was also room for improvement.

    Kalu also asserted that Buhari would win the 2019 election if he decides to run with or without the support of the Northern elite because he had a huge following by the masses.

    “If the elite refuse to support Buhari, the masses will support Buhari. The elite are few in number, the people that will support Buhari are the masses, who sincerely believe in Buhari.

    “They are people who not know any other thing other than Buhari. By my assumption, If President Buhari had 12.5 million supporters in the last general election; there is an additional 10 million supporters in the bank.

    “That is what we call reserve, it is still there,” he said.

     

  • Buhari is a better president compared to Obasanjo – Orji Kalu

    …Says former president has no moral right to comment on national issues

    Former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Kalu, has defended President Muhammadu Buhari, following Tuesday’s letter by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, on the state of the nation.

    The former President had in letter addressed to President Buhari criticised his poor handling of the economy and advising him not to contest the 2019 presidential election.

    Kalu interview with newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2, Lagos, said Obasanjo lacked the moral right to comment on national issues.

    He noted that Buhari’s government may be slow in taking critical decisions, but had done well in tackling corruption, recalling high level of graft in the 16 years that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ruled Nigeria.

    Kalu said Buhari had recorded modest achievements in his two-and-half-years tenure, which necessitates his re-election.

    The former governor listed the commencement of work on the Second Niger Bridge and other interventions in the economy as some of Buhari’s feats.

    “I am not going to talk about former President Obasanjo’s letter because I am going to make some consultations with the United States, Germany, China and the United Kingdom, then I will come back and speak on that letter.

    “I think Obasanjo’s letter is not in the best interest of Nigeria. I don’t want to reply him because I have given you example times without number.

    “There are three express roads Obasanjo refused to build when he was the president of Nigeria; Port Harcourt-Okigwe-Umuahia-Enugu expressway which is being built now by the Buhari administration.

    “Another one is the Enugu-Awka-Onitsha Expressway. It is being built now by the Buhari administration. Obasanjo did not build it.

    “Then there is the Onitsha-Owerri-Aba Expressway. The Buhari administration is building it now.

    “Between Obasanjo and Buhari who should I call my friend in real terms? So Buhari is my friend; so he is a better President.

    “I don’t wish to reply that letter because the former president has no morals that should qualify him to write that letter,” he said.

    According to Kalu, Nigerians have also not forgotten the $16 billion wasted on building power plants by the Obasanjo administration which yielded no result.

    He said it would, therefore, be unfair to the South East, South South and South Western parts of Nigeria not to support the second term bid of Buhari.

    He, however, advised Buhari to speak on security issues in Nigeria because it was threatening the fabric of socio-economic cohesion of the country.

    Kalu said the challenge of herdsmen/farmers clash was lingering in some states because their governors lacked the capacity to handle the situation.

  • Alleged N3.2bn fraud: Again, EFCC’s star witness in Orji Kalu’s trial absconds

    The trial of a former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, was stalled Tuesday after the prosecution, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), failed to present one of its major witnesses.

    Rotimi Jacobs, counsel to the EFCC, told Mohammed Idris of a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court that the Commission had been having difficulties tracking down its next witness, M.A Udoh.

    “Our main witness that we intend to call, we have approached him for more than six months,” said Mr. Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

    “We have noticed that each time the matter is coming up, he would just travel to Umuahia or Calabar or Cameroon.

    “He always has the dates of the matter and I was forced to apply for a subpoena. Your Lordship signed one, which we took to the Abia State Government House, Umuahia because we found out that he was a civil servant, but on getting there, we were told that he had since left service.

    “He was supposed to come today but he switched off his phone. EFCC operatives went to his house in Umuahia, yesterday (Monday) and this morning, they met his wife who said he had travelled to Calabar. Despite all the efforts we have not been able to bring him to court.”

    Mr. Jacobs alleged that some persons were behind Mr. Udoh’s uneasiness and urged the court to give a short adjournment to enable him locate and bring Mr. Udoh, a retired employee of the Abia State Government House, Umuahia, to testify in court.

    The defence lawyers, however, objected vehemently to the request for a short adjournment saying it was frivolous.

    Awa Kalu, Solo Akoma, and K.C.Nwofor (all Senior Advocates of Nigeria) expressed disappointment at the prosecution’s request for adjournment, noting that they had abandoned other pressing matters in Abuja and flown to Lagos just to ensure that there was no further delay in the case that had lasted for over 10 years.

    “We are not going to agree to a request that will force Your Lordship to close for one week,” said Mr. Kalu, a professor of Law.

    Mr. Akoma, while aligning himself with Mr. Kalu, recalled that on November 30, last year, while the judge was adjourning the matter, Mr. Jacobs had told the court that he had four more witnesses to call, including Mr. Udoh.

    He wondered why any of the other three witnesses was also not produced in court, even if the prosecution were unable to locate Mr. Udoh.

    “That shows the frivolity of the steps they have taken to bring their witnesses to court,” Mr. Akoma said.

    He urged the court to either foreclose the prosecution’s case or if the request for an adjournment would be granted, the court should order the prosecution to bear the cost of the defence’s transportation and hotel accommodation.

    This, he said, was in line with the provisions of Section 396(6) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

    Toeing the same line of argument, Mr. Nwofor said it was regrettable that since the trial resumed, all the adjournments had been at the instance of the prosecution.

    He said on account of the slow pace of the case, his client, which is a company, had lost huge amount in foreign currency in terms of contracts.

    “We had 3,000 workers who have lost their jobs; we had 250 expatriates, they have lost their jobs and my friend is here asking for an adjournment,” he added.

    Mr. Nwofor added that he had been unable to get his legal fee as his client was broke and was eagerly waiting for the trial to end.

    He urged the court to award a cost of N10 million against the prosecution in favour of his client for the delay.

    But Mr. Jacobs argued that the case was delayed for over 10 years at the instance of the defendants who pursued an interlocutory appeal – an appeal against an aspect of a case before trial has concluded – all the way to the Supreme Court.

    He said it was due to the time spent by the defendants pursuing the interlocutory appeal that the prosecution was experiencing difficulties in assembling its witnesses some of whom had died, retired or relocated out of the jurisdiction.

    “If they had allowed us to go on within two to three years of the case, all our witnesses would have been assembled in one day,” he said, urging the judge to grant his request for an adjournment and to reject the award of cost.

    In his ruling, the judge noted that the case had been adjourned on four different occasions at the request of the prosecution.

    “Where a witness that ought to attend court fails to attend court and summons has been issued and served on the same witness, then the prosecution would pursue the appropriate provisions of the ACJA to compel the attendance of the witness in court,” the judge said.

    “This trial will no longer be adjourned on account of unavailability of witness to attend court… It is unfortunate that a trial, which has been adjourned for hearing from day to day could not proceed due to witness unavailability.”

    The judge, however, conceded to an adjournment but warned that it would be the last of its kind.

    The matter was subsequently adjourned till January 22 and 23.

    Mr. Kalu, Udeh Jones Udeogu, and Slok Nigeria Limited are facing a 34-count charge of alleged N32.2 billion fraud.

    They were re-arraigned in October 2016 before Mr. Idris and they pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

  • Former Abia governor, Orji Kalu declares 2019 Senate ambition

    A former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, on Monday declared his intention to run for Abia North Senatorial seat in 2019.

    Kalu, who disclosed this in a chat with journalists at his Igbere country home, regretted that the people who represented the area in the past were concerned about “self- aggrandizement” at the expense of people’s welfare.

    The ex-governor recalled how he transformed the state during his tenure as governor, adding that the decision to vie for seat in the upper legislative chamber was to ensure that people of Abia North gets democratic dividends.

    He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the ongoing rehabilitation of Umuahia-Uzoakoli-Ohafia Expressway, Ozuitem-Igbere and Nkpa and other roads in the state.

  • Osinbajo’s visit to Buhari proves president’s health not deteriorating – Kalu

    A former Governor of Abia, Dr Orji Kalu, has said that those peddling rumours that President Muhammadu Buhari is on life support have been proven wrong.

    Kalu, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), spoke with newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said the visit of acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to Buhari in London had shown that the rumour peddlers were liars.

    Kalu said that everything possible should be done to reduce increasing hate speeches and `death wish’ in the country.

    “The confirmation of the President’s health status by the acting president and wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari is something good Christians and good Muslims should embrace with joy.

    “Those wishing the President dead and spreading false rumours about his health are exposing their ignorance about life and death.

    “I do not understand what joy people derive in wishing their fellow human being dead. Anybody can fall sick, but no good Christian and Muslim would wish someone dead,’’ he said.

    The former governor also commended Osinbajo for the visit, noting that he had ‘` not only shown leadership, but also maintained the virtues of the President.’’

    He also urged all Nigerians to pray for Buhari’s quicker recovery in the “hope for a better and stronger Nigeria.’’

     

    NAN

  • N3.2bn money laundering: Court to rule on Kalu’s case June 6

    A Federal High Court on Monday in Lagos fixed June 6 foe ruling on the objection by a former Governor of Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu, to the evidence of a prosecution witness in his trial.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on Oct. 31, 2016, slammed a 34-count charge of N3.2 billion fraud on Kalu and his ex-Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo.

    Also charged with Kalu is his company — Slok Nigeria Ltd.

    The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    During an examination-in-chief on Monday, a prosecution witness, Mr Romanus Madu, led in evidence by EFCC prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said he did not author a statement requesting for the sum of N30.8 million bank draft in the course of his duties as a cashier in the Abia State Government House in 2005.

    He identified his name on a document exhibited by the prosecution, but said that he was not the author, noting that his signature was not on the document.

    The prosecutor also showed him two other applications for the bank drafts written by one Obasi John and Ogbonna J, which he also denied knowledge of the two individuals at the Government House.

    He said he did know anything about bank drafts, but that he usually collects cash and hands it over to his “superior”, adding that he was not familiar with the names Obasi and Ogbonna.

    When the prosecutor further sought to extract the witness’ evidence on the three applications, it was opposed by the defence lawyers.

    In his objection, Kalu’s lawyer, Chief Awa Kalu (SAN) said the prosecutor’s action was against the spirit of the Evidence Act.

    He argued that the witness cannot be asked to compare signatures of persons he claimed he did not know.

    In the same vein, counsel to the third accused (Slok), Mr K. C. Nwofo (SAN), also argued that it was only an expert that could be asked questions on such a contentious issue.

    In his response, however, the prosecutor insisted that the witness was “highly qualified” to give evidence on the statement which he argued was written and signed by him.

    According to him, evidence with regards to handwriting is not an exclusive preserve of an expert.

    “The law permits the court to take evidence from the person whose handwriting was said to have been forged or the person who is familiar with the handwriting.”

    After listening to the arguments of both parties, Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned until June 6 for ruling.

    In the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offence between August 2001 and October 2005.

    Kalu was alleged to have utilised his company (Slok) to retain in the account of a First Inland bank, (now FCMB), the sum of N200 million.

    The sum is alleged to have formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia State Government.

    Slok and one Emeka Abone, who is still at large, are also accused of retaining in the company’s account the sum of N200 million on behalf of the first accused (Kalu).

    The accused, according to the prosecution, also retained about N2.5 billion in different accounts property of Abia.

    Cumulatively, in all the counts, the accused were alleged to have diverted about N3.2 billion from the Abia State Government’s treasury during Kalu’s tenure as governor.

    The offences contravened Sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005 and the Money Laundering Act of 1995 as amended by the amendment Act No.9 of 2002 and Section 477 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 1990. (NAN)

  • Money laundering: Court fixes March 6 for Orji Kalu’s trial

    Money laundering: Court fixes March 6 for Orji Kalu’s trial

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday fixed March 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 for trial of former Abia governor Orji Uzor Kalu charged with money laundering.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on October 31, preferred a 34-count money laundering against Kalu and his former commissioner for finance, Ude Udeogo.

    However, both accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, the Presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, stood down the suit till 1 p.m for trial to allow a decongestion of the court room.

    Meanwhile, when the case was called the prosecution was unavailable, and after waiting for a length of time, the court was compelled to adjourn the case to a further date.

    After adjournment, the Prosecutor, Mr. Adeniyi Adebisi, walked in and craved the court’s indulgence for his delay as he was attending to other matters.

    After series of submissions, the court ruled that further trial is fixed for March 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

    In the instant charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offence between August 2001 and October 2005.

    Kalu was alleged to have utilised his company to retain in the account of a First Inland Bank, now FCMB, the sum of N200m.

    The sum is alleged to have formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia State Government.

    In one of the counts, his company (Slok Nig Ltd) and one Emeka Abone, who is said to be at large, were also alleged to have retained in the company’s account the sum of N200 million, on behalf of the first accused.

    They were alleged to have utilised Manny Bank, now Fidelity Bank Plc, Spring Bank Plc, the defunct Standard Trust Bank and Fin Land Bank, now First City Monument Bank.

    In counts one to 10, the accused were alleged to have retained about N2.5bn in different accounts, which funds were said to belong to the Abia state government.

    Cumulatively, in all the counts, the accused were alleged to have diverted over N3.2bn from the Abia state government’s treasury during Kalu’s tenure as governor.

    The offence is said to have contravened the provisions of sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005.

    It is also said to have contravened the provisions of the Money Laundering Act of 1995 as amended by the amendment Act No. 9 of 2002, and Section 477 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 1990.

     

    NAN