– The trial of Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, resumed on Tuesday, August 27 – The Senate minority whip is in court for alleged N7.2 billion fraud trial before Justice Mohammed Idriss – Kalu is the lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District and former governor of the state Senate minority whip, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, on Tuesday, August 27, told a Federal High Court in Lagos that he gave former President Olusegun Obasanjo N100 million in 1998 when he (Obasanjo) was released from prison custody.
The lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District and former governor of the state, said he also gave the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) N500 million when the party was formed in 1998, Guardian reports. Led in evidence by Chief Awa Kalu (SAN) at the resumption of his alleged N7.2 billion fraud trial before Justice Mohammed Idriss, Kalu said he met nothing in the account of Abia state when he assumed office as the governor in 1999. Just in: Details of Buhari’s meeting with APC governors, Omo-Agege in Daura emerge Kalu, who stated that he was in the United States (U.S.) when he heard that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was looking for him in 2007 after he left office, said: “I immediately put a call through to Ibrahim Larmode informing him that I will report straight to the commission when I return, but surprisingly, immediately I landed at the airport, some officers of the EFCC whisked me away to their office with serious beating. “Then I asked what was my offence, one of them replied that I have been abusing former President Olusegun Obasanjo. “I’m surprised to see a petition written by Abia Leaders Forum, which was not shown to me by the EFCC.” Kalu is being prosecuted alongside his former commissioner for finance, Jones Udeogu and his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, on an amended 39-count charge of fraud-related offences. Justice Idriss adjourned further proceeding till Wednesday, August 28, for the second defendant to open his defence, as Kalu is the sole witness in his case.
Meanwhile, more details have emerged on why the EFCC are investigating some of the financial dealings of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode during his tenure as Lagos state chief executive. Ambode is being investigated for several deals ranging from unilateral award of over-inflated contracts, cooking the books of the state and approving many opaque deals that did not go through due process. There are also allegations of the state’s commonwealth being diverted to private accounts in countries like Seychelles and Mauritius while the former governor was in charge.
