The Supreme Court, on Friday, nullified the judgement that convicted and sentenced the former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor-Kalu, to 12 years imprisonment.

Orji Uzor Kalu

According to Vanguard, the apex court, in a unanimous decision by a seven-man panel of Justices led by Justice Amina Augie, held that the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction when it convicted Kalu, his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu.

It held that trial Justice Mohammed Liman was no longer a judge of the Federal High Court as at the time he sat and delivered the judgement that convicted the defendants for allegedly stealing about N7.1billion from Abia state treasury.

Thelagostimes recalls that Senator Kalu was convicted of N7.65billion fraud perpetuated when he was Abia State governor between 1999 and 2007. He was convicted alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and his former Abia State director of finance, Ude Udeogu.