The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has vowed to restart their prosecution of the former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, for financial misappropriation.
As gathered, Kalu, a lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, was set free by the Supreme Court on technicalities after being convicted of stealing billions of naira when he was Abia State governor from 1999 to 2007.
The Supreme Court ruled that the trial judge that found him guilty had been elevated to the Appeal Court and should not have ruled on the matter.
The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, who disclosed this on Thursday during a briefing, said the commission was prepared to resume court proceedings against the serving senator with immediate effect. “He will be prosecuted all over again.”
Bawa also revealed that EFCC was set to file 800 new corruption cases in court, adding that the cases will border on public corruption and cybercrime.
He explained that cases were delayed largely because of the strike by judiciary workers, who shut down courts in Nigeria for over two months and only recently suspended the strike.
The EFCC boss added that the commission on Wednesday secured a judgment against a former banker, Francis Atuche, who was sentenced to six years in jail for stealing N27 billion from the former Bank PHB while he was the managing director.
“This case was instituted on October 16, 2009, but judgment was only given yesterday. But we are determined to continue prosecuting no matter how long it takes,” he said.
