The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck out the bid by the Federal Government to begin fresh prosecution of former Abia Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, in the N7.6 billion fraud and money laundering case brought against him.
The appellate court threw away the government’s move in a judgment delivered in Abuja by Justice Joseph Oyewole on Wednesday.
Oyewole held that the record of appeal brought by the Federal Government was incompetent and unreliable for any court to use to grant its request.
Among others, Justice Oyewole said that the record of appeal was not compiled, signed, or certified by any person known to law.
Specifically, Justice Oyewole said that the name of the person who compiled, signed, and certified the record was not reflected as required by law.
A Federal High Court jailed the former governor, now a senator representing Abia North, for 12 years for allegedly stealing huge sums from the Treasury of Abia State while he held sway as governor of the state.
The judgment of the High Court was, however, voided and set aside by the Supreme Court on the ground that Justice Mohammed Idris, who delivered it, was already a Justice of the Court of Appeal, having been elevated.
The Supreme Court judgment delivered by Justice Ejembi Ekwo held that Justice Mohammed Idris cannot operate as a Federal High Judge and Justice of the Court of Appeal at the same time.
He subsequently ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the case to another judge for a fresh trial.
Kalu, however, went back to the Federal High Court and obtained an order prohibiting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from initiating his fresh prosecution.
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo, who issued the prohibition order against the EFCC, said that Orji Uzor Kalu was not expressly stated in the judgment of the Supreme Court.
The federal government’s appeal against the decision of the high court was dismissed for the failure to produce proper records of the proceedings of the high court. (NAN)
