Orji Uzor Kalu

Court

Federal High Court, Abuja

Case number

FHC/ABJ/CR/56/2007

Filed

2007

Parties

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (for the Federal Republic of Nigeria) v. Orji Uzor Kalu, Slok Nigeria Ltd and Ude Udeogu (former Director of Finance, Abia State Government House)

Claims. Fraud and money laundering involving Abia State treasury funds during his 1999–2007 governorship; amount reported as N7.1bn, N7.56bn or N7.6bn depending on source.

Decision. 5 December 2019: convicted and sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment. 8 May 2020: Supreme Court (seven-member panel, lead judgment by Justice Ejembi Eko) unanimously nullified the trial and conviction because Justice Mohammed Idris delivered judgment after being sworn in as a Court of Appeal justice, and ordered the case reassigned to another judge.^{[1, 2, 3]}

Court

Federal High Court, Abuja; on appeal, Court of Appeal, Abuja

Case number

Appeals CA/ABJ/CV/797/2021 and CA/ABJ/CV/798/2021

Parties

Orji Uzor Kalu (and his company) v. Federal Republic of Nigeria / EFCC

Claims. Kalu sought an order that a second trial on the same charge would amount to double jeopardy and was not authorised by the Supreme Court judgment.

Decision. Justice Inyang Ekwo (ruling reported September 2021) prohibited the retrial of Kalu on FHC/ABJ/CR/56/2007, while permitting the case against Udeogu to proceed. 6 March 2024: Court of Appeal (judgment delivered by Justice Joseph Oyewole) struck out the Federal Government's two appeals for a defective record of appeal.^{[4, 5, 6]}