Kalu to Spend Christmas, New Year in Prison as Court Rejects Post-Conviction Bail Request
POLITICS DIGEST – The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has rejected an application for post-conviction bail filed by the former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu.
The court threw out his application and ordered that he should remain in the prison custody until his appeal is heard.
Justice Abdullahi Liman wondered the spirit behind the speedy filing of the motion for bail when the appeal against Kalu’s conviction has not been heard.
The former governor is expected to celebrate Christmas and New year in prison custody.
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Kalu, who is the Senate Chief Whip of the 9th Assembly, was found guilty by a Federal High Court in Lagos on fraud charges. His conviction and sentencing to 12 years in jail came 12 years after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed N7.65 billion fraud charge against him. The EFCC had filed the charge in 2007.
The court convicted Kalu on all the 39 counts preferred against him by the EFCC. Kalu was charged alongside a former Commissioner for Finance, in the state, Jones Udeogo, and his company, Slok Nig. Ltd.
While Kalu and his company were found guilty of all the 39 counts, Udeogo was convicted on 34 counts and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. The court ordered that the Slok Nig. Ltd. should be wound up and its assets forfeited to the Federal Government.
