News
Orji Kalu remains in prison – NcoS
BY NICHOLAS ABE
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) says former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, remains in its Kuje facility because no warrant for his release from the Supreme Court has been received.
The NCoS spokesman, Chuks Njoku, said this in reaction to reports that Kalu had been released from prison where he had been held for the past five months, following his conviction by a Federal High Court, Lagos, for stealing N7.1 billion Abia State money while he was governor.
Some reports had indicated that Kalu, now a senator, was released on Friday, shortly after the Supreme Court voided his December 5 conviction by a Federal High Court, Lagos, in a trial that lasted about 12 years.
He was said to have moved to his residence in Asokoro, Abuja after he was discharged from custody by the NCoS.
But Njoku clarified that the service had not received the court judgment and the warrant for Kalu’s release from the custodial centre.
He said, “We have not received any paper; the order was just made on Friday and we have to get the warrant of release from the Supreme Court. But we have no warrant to release him. The court pronouncement is not enough to release him.”
Njoku insisted that the senator would remain in custody, adding that “he would not be released until we get a warrant from the court.”
READ: Fear of EFCC as Orji Kalu prepares to leave prison
A close associate of Kalu, Senate Chief Whip, had told RELIABLESOURCENG.COM on Friday that the lawmaker representing Abia North on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) could not be let out of Kuje because of the paper work that needed to be done.
“The paperwork must be concluded before his release from Kuje prison. Today being Friday, I expect that will be next week,” our source had confided.
The Supreme Court had on Friday nullified the Federal High Court judgment that convicted Kalu on the grounds that the trial court acted without jurisdiction. Kalu was convicted alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and Jones Udeogu who was a former Director of Finance in Abia State, while Kalu was governor.
The apex court in a unanimous decision by a seven-man panel of Justices led by Justice Amina Augie, noted that the trial judge, Justice Liman, having been elevated to the Court of Appeal before then, lacked the powers to return to sit as a High Court Judge to deliver judgment in Kalu’s trial.
He held that a Justice of the Court of Appeal cannot operate as a judge of the Federal High Court and ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the case for trial.