Former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, Thursday bagged a 12-year jail term over a N7.65 billon fraud.
Kani, who was sentenced by a
Lagos State High Court, was said to have begged the prison officials not to handcuff him in public.
Delivering judgement on a 39-count amended charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Justice Mohammed Idris also ordered the winding up of Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited.
Kalu, who is a serving lawmaker at the National Assembly, representing Abia North Senatorial district, was charged by the Federal Government for theft, fraud of over N7.65 billion.
EFCC, in one of its charges, alleged that Kalu, who was Abia State governor between 1999 and 2007, “did procure Slok Nigeria Limited – a company solely owned by you and members of your family – to retain in its account, domiciled with the then Inland Bank Plc, Apapa branch, Lagos, an aggregate sum of N7,197,871,208.7 on your behalf.”
The former governor had been standing trial alongsde his firm and Udeh Udeogu, who was Director of Finance and Accounts at Abia State Government House during his tenure as governor.
Kalu has joined the league of ex-governors like Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, who decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC), but were later convicted of corruption charges.
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