N17.1bn fraud: Court suspends retrial of Orji Kalu

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday suspended the retrial of former Abia Governor, Senator Orji Kalu, on alleged corruption charges.

Justice Inyang Ekwo temporarily stayed the retrial while delivering ruling in an application by Kalu seeking leave to file a motion against his re-trial for alleged fraud committed when he served as governor of Abia between 1999 and 2007.

The ex parte application was filed by Kalu’s counsel, Prof. Awa Kalu, SAN.

Justice Ekwo also granted leave to the senator to challenge the legality of the retrial on the same charge.

The judge agreed that the former Abia governor had placed sufficient materials of value before the court to enable him secure permission for judicial review of his retrial on charges which he had been tried, convicted and spent some months in prison.

The Judge also granted Kalu permission to apply for an order of perpetual injunction against the Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to prohibit his retrial.

The court gave Kalu seven days within which to file and serve the EFCC all processes he intended to use to challenge the legality of the retrial.