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The Socio-Economic Rights and
Accountability Project (SERAP) and some other civil society groups on Thursday
lauded the 12-year prison sentence handed down to ex-Gov. Orji Kalu of Abia
state, by a Federal High Court in Lagos.
Kalu is currently a Senator.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Mohammed
Idris convicted Kalu on 39 counts of N7.2 billion fraud and money laundering
preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Executive Director of SERAP, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, hailed
the judiciary for justice delivery.
Mumuni said that the judiciary was playing its part in the anti-graft war.
“What we see now is that the judiciary is trying to live up to
expectations; what must be done has to be done.
“The facts of the case have been properly reviewed, evidence
thoroughly analysed; there is no basis for querying the judgment; however, let
us see the reaction of Orji Uzor Kalu’s counsel to the verdict.
“If his counsel wants to appeal, they have the right to do so,
but if the allegations and evidence are anything to go by, I believe justice
has been properly served irrespective of whoever is involved,” he said.
Mr Malachy Ugwummadu, the National President of the Committee for the Defence
of Human Rights (CDHR), noted the role the Administration of Criminal Justice
Act (ACJA) played in the speedy trial of the case.
Ugwummadu hailed the provisions of ACJA which prevented the
trial from starting de novo (from the beginning) when the trial judge was
elevated to the Court of Appeal.
“The speed with which this case was adjudicated has everything
to do with the ACJA that now allows that a trial judge, though elevated, can
return to conclude an ongoing criminal proceeding.
“The ACJA is explicit, it is proactive, it is definitive, it
allows a judge, who started a trial and got elevated to a superior court, to
return to conclude proceedings.
“This is exactly what happened here. Orji Uzor Kalu was
arraigned before Justice Mohammed Idris, who within the period of the trial was
elevated to the Court of Appeal. Today, he delivered that judgment.
“To that extent, it is remarkable because it touches on the
speedy dispensation of justice. What obtained before now, was the matter
starting de novo with the transfer or elevation of the judge,” he said.
According to the CDHR president, the judgment proved that no
individual is above the law.
“The law remains the law. The fact that Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu defected to
the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did
not provide a cover for him.
“This judgment has established a precedent; but giving the calibre
of the defendant, we are likely going to see an appeal against the judgment,”
Ugwummadu said. Most Popular online casino in Canada
