Finally Orji Uzor Kalu Leaves Prison, Reunites With Family

Senator, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, the former governor of Abia State has finally regained his freedom from Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja yesterday following an order of a Federal High Court in Lagos directing his immediate release from the facility.

Kalu, who is the Chief Whip of the Senate, regained freedom at about 6:28 p.m., shortly after a copy of the judgement of the Federal High Court in Lagos, was served on the authorities of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS). In a brief telephone chat with New Telegraph at about 6:48 p.m. yesterday, one of the senior counsel, Dr. Away Kalu (SAN), said: “We are on our way home now after perfecting the conditions for release.”

An aide of the former governor confirmed that Kalu has reunited with his family. Justice Mohammed Liman granted Kalu’s request to be released from prison after the Supreme Court quashed his trial and conviction over alleged N7.1 billion fraud.

The apex court had in a judgement on the 8th May, nullified the trial and conviction of Kalu and two others on the grounds that the judge who handled the case lacked jurisdiction.

The judgement was a sequel to a suit filed by one of Kalu’s co-accused, Udeh Jones Udeogu, contending that the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, concluded the 12-year-old trial and gave judgement after he had been elevated to the Court of Appeal and ceased to be a judge of the Federal High Court. Following the apex court’s verdict, Kalu filed a motion before Justice Liman to secure his release from prison.

In his arguments over the motion on Tuesday, Kalu’s lawyer, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), urged the court to grant his client’s prayers saying the application was a fallout of judgement delivered by the Supreme Court on the 8th May, 2020.

He said: “This is an application brought under Section 159 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. It was a fallout of the Supreme Court’s judgement on the 8th of May, 2020. “I adopt and rely on all the processes in urging my lord to grant the application.”

Responding, EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) said he was not opposed to the granting of the application. He, however, sought an accelerated retrial of the case as ordered by the Supreme Court. “We are not opposing the application in principle.

But, we are also urging the court to order that the ‘trial de novo’ order of the Supreme Court is complied with by all parties. We urge the court to give a new trial date,” Jacobs said. In his ruling on the motion after listening to arguments of parties, Justice Liman held that the application was meritorious and that he was bound by the judgement of the Supreme Court.

He consequently ordered the immediate release of Kalu from the Kuje Correctional Centre where he was being detained. Justice Idris took charge of the case on 31st October 2016 after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) curiously secured its transfer from the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

The judge subsequently delivered judgement in the matter on 2nd December 2019, at a time he had been elevated to the Court of Appeal.