In an alleged fraud case of N7.65 billion against a former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, and two others, the Federal High Court Sitting in Lagos is set to deliver judgment.
Justice Mohammed Idris, in a ruling on Tuesday, fixed December 2 for judgment after parties in the case adopted their written addresses and made their final arguments, 12 years after trial initially commenced.
In its final arguments, Rotimi Jacobs, the prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, asked the judge to jail the defendants as the prosecution had proved the allegations against them.
Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), also told the court that contrary to Senator Kalu’s statement that Abia did not have as much as N7 billion during his administration, information from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation revealed that total allocation to the state when the lawmaker was governor was N137 billion.
The defence counsels, on their part, asked the court to dismiss the charges, acquit and discharge their clients.
They insisted that the prosecution failed to prove its case against them.
After listening to all the parties, Justice Idris fixed December 2 for judgment.
Senator Kalu, his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, and Udeh Udeogu, who was Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House during Kalu’s tenure as governor, are standing trial on an amended 39-count brought against them by the EFCC.
