The Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has been docked again as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) begins his retrial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The ex-Governor of Abia State who arrived the court Tuesday morning was docked before Justice Inyang Ekwo on N7.1 billion money laundering charges.
Kalu was earlier found guilty and handed a 12-year jail term by the Lagos Division of the court.
READ ALSO: EFCC returns to court, files fresh, for immediate retrial of Orji Kalu
The trial court convicted him alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and a former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu, for allegedly stealing about N7.1billion from the state treasury.
But his conviction was overruled by an Appeal Court.
The EFCC’s counsel, Chile Okoroma informed the court of a pending letter before the Chief Judge asking for the transfer of the case to Lagos.
Okoroma said the Chief Judge is yet to respond to the letter which was written in line with the judgment of the Supreme Court ordering the prosecution to try Senator Kalu afresh.
Okoroma said none of the offences allegedly committed by Kalu took place in Abuja and that the Supreme Court has held that the case cannot be heard in the FCT.
He asked the court to adjourn the matter pending a reply from the Chief Judge.
Although the Prosecution was unavailable for comments, the lawyer to Senator Kalu insisted that the proper place for the trial of his client is Umuahia, Abia State capital where the offences were allegedly committed.
Ruling on the application, Justice Inyang Ekwo held: “Even without your application, the matter cannot go on.
“But I cannot adjourn the matter sine die. There must be a specific date for the report,” he said.
The judge then adjourned the case till June 7.
Below is the video of Kalu in court:
VIDEO SOURCE: THE CABLE
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