The Supreme Court on Friday nullified the conviction of Orji Kalu, former governor of Abia state who sentenced 12 years imprisonment for misappropriation of public fund and money laundering.
He was convicted earlier in the year by a Federal High Court in Lagos, a judgment which was upheld the Appeal Court
But the Supreme Court on Friday voided his conviction and ordered a retrial of the former governor and his co-defendants.
In the judgment of a panel of seven justices led by Amina Augie, the court held that the conviction of Kalu was void as the trial judge, Mohammed Liman, lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
It said Liman, who heard the case, was elevated to the appeal court at the time of the matter and was no longer a judge of the federal high court, and as such lacked the authority to preside over the trial.
In December, 2019, the judge sentenced Kalu to 12 years in prison for money laundering to the tune of N7.1 billion.
The judge also ordered that Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited, be liquidated and its assets forfeited to the Nigerian government.
Kalu stood trial on a 39-count charge brought against him by anti-graft agency – Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The senator, Slok Nigeria Limited, and Udeh Udeogu, a former director of finance and accounts in Abia were accused of diverting N7.65 billion from the purse of the state government.
He was also accused of illegally taking N460 million from Abia’s treasury.
