Pending appeal stalls Kalu’s arraignment

The planned re-arraignment of former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, before ‎the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was on Monday stalled due to a pending appeal before the Supreme Court.
The Federal Government had filed an amended charge reducing the counts of the initial charge from 107 to 32 counts.
Listed as 2nd and 3rd defendants alongside Kalu are ; Udeh Jones Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited.
Kalu was, however, represented by Chief Awa Kalu (SAN).
When the case was called, counsel to the 3rd defendant, Chief Solo Akuma, drew the attention of the court to the pending appeal by his client, Slok Nigeria Limited before the Supreme Court which has not been heard.
He further informed the court that briefs in the appeal have been filed and exchanged but no hearing date have been fixed for the appeal.
He also submitted that the appellant had applied to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed and the Director of litigation of the Supreme Court for a hearing date.
“In the circumstances, we hereby apply for an adjournment to enable us sort out the appeal”, he stated.
Responding, prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe confirmed the pendency of the appeal before the Supreme Court.
He, however, informed the court that the prosecution had filed an amended charge and served on the defendants.
The trial judge, Justice Anwuli Chikere, later adjourned till June 30 for mention.
In the charge, Kalu was alleged to have, while being the governor of Abia State in 2003, procured Slok Nigeria Limited to retain its account domiciled with the First Inland Bank Plc, Apapa branch, Lagos, the sum of N200 million and that the sum formed part of the funds illegally derived from the treasury of Abia State government through Standard Trust Bank, now UBA.
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 17(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2003 and punishable under section 16 of the same act.
“That you Orji Uzor Kalu, Udeh Jones Udeogu, Slok Nigeria Limited and Emeka Abone (now at large) between 13th August, 2003 and 9th October, 2003 did collaborate in concealing the genuine origin of an aggregate sum of N200 million which formed part of the funds illegally derived from the treasury of Abia state Government through Standard Trust Bank( now UBA plc) and which sum was converted into four bank drafts and subsequently paid into the account of Slok Nigeria Limited with the then First Inland Bank Plc and you therebu committed an offense punishable under section 14(1) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.
“That you Orji Uzor Kalu, Udeh Jones Udeogu, Slok Nigeria Limited and Emeka Abone (now at large) between May, 2002 and December 2005 within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit: laundering of funds illegally derived from the treasury of the Abia state government and you thereby committed an ofence punishable under section 17(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004.