The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday described the Supreme Court judgement that quashed the conviction of the former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor-Kalu for corruption and the order for his retrial, as a technical ambush of his trial.
Justice Mohammed Idris of Federal High Court, Lagos, had last December sentenced the ex-governor to 12 years imprisonment for fraud he allegedly perpetrated during his tenure as Abia State governor. The Court of Appeal also concurred.
But in a unanimous judgment of the Supreme Court delivered by Justice Ejembi Eko yesterday, the apex court nullified the entire trial, on the grounds that the constitution does not permit a judge elevated to a higher court to return to a lower court to conclude a part-heard case.
The EFCC, in a swift reaction by its Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said it considered the judgment of the apex court quite unfortunate and that the commission was prepared for a fresh/immediate trial of the case because its evidences against Kalu and others “are overwhelming.”
The anti-graft agency said: “The EFCC considers the judgment of the apex court as quite unfortunate. It is a technical ambush against the trial of the former governor. 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.”
Meanwhile, Uzor-Kalu has spoken on his five month incarceration saying it was profound and challenging.
He also pledged his readiness to ensure that justice was henceforth served to all Nigerians irrespective of where they hail from.
Kalu, in a statement issued after the Supreme Court quashed his 12-year conviction, said the apex Court ruling had affirmed his right to fair hearing and equal protection of the law.
According to him, “the past five months have been quite a profound period for me and as challenging as that period has been, it has provided me an opportunity to learn invaluable lessons about our country, our peoples, our justice system and the true meaning of love. I mean love for family, love for our country and love for humanity.”
The former governor of Abia state also thanked all those who stood by him during his trying times.
He said: “I want to use this moment to thank my family, my colleagues, my friends, my supporters, the people of Abia State, and all Nigerians for their unflinching and unwavering confidence and trust in me through the very testing period. We all know today that their prayers have not been in vain. I also use this opportunity to express my gratitude to the Nigerian Correctional Service for the unalloyed professionalism and sincere humanity extended to me by its staff while I was in their custody.
“Overall, my experience tested and reaffirmed my belief and confidence in our country, Nigeria.
My case is a true Nigerian story with a bold made-in-Nigeria stamp on it. It is a story of initial injustice that was caught and ultimately corrected. It is a story of restoration. It is a story of how a wrong was righted and how justice and truth prevailed in the end.
“It is a story of the power of hope. My case should teach us all that even though we may not get things right at the first attempt, with patience and dedication, we shall get them right eventually. That is the lesson of my case and that is the lesson of our country – that with dedication and patience, we shall place Nigeria in its rightful place eventually.”