The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Saturday began marking for seizure properties belonging to the embattled Ex-governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu.
According to a statement issued by the anti-graft agency, the action came following an order by a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court to wound up assets belonging to Mr Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Ltd.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that Mr Kalu, a senator representing Abia North, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a N7.65 billion fraud.
Read EFCC statement below
EFCC Press Release
N7.65bn Fraud: EFCC Marks Ex-Abia Gov, Orji Kalu’s Properties
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday, December 14, 2019, marked properties belonging to a former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.
The marking is to ensure that the properties are not dissipated, following the December 5, 2019 order of Justice Muhammed Idris sitting at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos that Kalu’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited, be wound up and all assets forfeited to the Federal Government.
Kalu who is the Senator representing Abia North in the National Assembly, had been arraigned alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited and Udeh Udeogu, his Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House, over an amended 39-count charge bordering on conspiring and diverting the sum of N7.65bn from the coffers of the state.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them by the EFCC, thereby leading to their full trial.
In the course of the trial, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, called 19 witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court.
The defendants, however, testified on behalf of themselves during the trial.