The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Monday re-arraigned the former Abia
State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, before the Lagos Division of the Federal High
Court 34 counts of money laundering.
Also
arraigned before the court are Udeh Udeogu, a former Director of Finance in the
state, and Slok Nigeria Limited.
Mr.
Kalu, who served as governor between 1999 and 2007, was first arraigned in 2007
on a 96-count charge of money laundering.
After a
lengthy legal battle, the Supreme Court, in 2016, ordered him to stand trial.
In the
amended charge, the EFCC alleged that Mr. Kalu and the accused persons had,
between August 7, 2001, and December 2005, (while Mr. Kalu was the governor of
Abia State), used the said money to procure Slok Nigeria Limited, a company
EFCC said solely belongs to Mr. Kalu and his family.
The
accused persons and Emeka Abone, said to be at large, were also alleged to have
between May 2002 and December 2005, conspired among themselves to launder funds
illegally derived from the Treasury of Abia State government.
They
were also alleged to have aggregated several millions of naira amounting to
N3.2 billion, property of Abia State government, knowing that the said amount
formed parts of funds stolen from the Treasury of Abia State government.
The
accused persons were alleged to have laundered the funds through Manny Bank
(now Fidelity Bank Plc), Spring Bank Plc, the defunct Standard Trust Bank and
Fin Land Bank, now First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
In
counts one to 10, Mr. Kalu was alleged to have, between August 13, 2003 and
August 10, 2005, acquired Slok Nigeria Limited as well as retained in his
account domiciled with the Apapa branch of First Inland Bank Plc, the total sum
of N2. 502, 600 billion.
The
money was said to have been derived from the treasury of Abia State government,
through Manny Bank (now Fidelity Bank Plc), which were converted into several
bank drafts and paid into the account of Slok Nigeria Limited.
In
counts 11 to 20, Slok Nigeria Limited and Mr. Abone were alleged to have
between April 29, 2003 and August 10, 2005, retained in their accounts
domiciled with the Apapa branch of First Inland Bank now First City Monument
Bank, the total sum of N2.493 billion, on behalf of Mr. Kalu.
Counts
22 to 33 accused Messrs Kalu, Udeogu, Abone, and Slok Nigeria Limited and E, to
have between August 13, 2003, and August 10, 2005, collaborated and concealed
N2.187,400 billion, which formed parts of funds Illegally derived from the
treasury of Abia State government, through Manny Bank (now Fidelity Bank), and
converted and paid the said sum into the account of Slok Nigeria Limited, with
the Apapa branch of First Inland Bank Plc.
In
count 34, the defendants were accused of, between May 2002 and December 2005,
conspiring to commit money laundering of funds illegally derived from the
treasury of Abia State government.
The
accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge.
After
taking their plea, counsels to the defendants, Mike Ozekhome and Solo Akuma,
both Senior Advocates of Nigeria, urged the court to allow their clients to
continue with the bail term earlier granted them.
Ozekhome told Justice Mohammed Idris that
their clients had been arraigned before three different judges in Abuja Federal
High Courts, before they were re-arraigned again.
The
prosecutor, Adeniyi, did not opposed the submission of lawyers to the accused
persons, but said his agency only interested in the trial of the accused
persons.
Idris
adjourned till December 12 and 13 for trial, while ordering that the accused
persons continue to enjoy their existing bails.
Source: premium times
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