Kalu Files No-case Submission against Trial

  • Says EFCC failed to establish anything against him

Former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has filed a no-case submission in his trial for alleged money laundering.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had re-arraigned him along with a former Director of Finance in the state Government House, Mr. Udeh Udeogu, and Slok Nigeria Limited on 34-count charge of laundering N3.2billion.
EFCC closed its case on May 11 following which Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos adjourned for the defendants to open theirs.

Yesterday, the prosecuting counsel Adebisi Adeniyi, who stood in for Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said the EFCC filed the amended charge wednesday morning.

He said he was also served with no-case submissions filed by each of the defendants.
He said: “We did inform Your Lordship that we intended to file an amended charge. We have filed the amended charge this morning.

“We were also served with the defendants’ motion for no case submissions.”
Kalu’s lawyer, Chief Awa Kalu (SAN), confirmed that he filed a no case submission on his client’s behalf.
“A motion for no case submission was filed on behalf of the first defendant (Kalu) on May 28 and it has been served on the prosecution,” he said.

Other defence counsel, Chief Solo Akuma (SAN) and K. C. Nwofo (SAN), said they also filed separate motions for no-case submission for their clients.

The defence counsel, however, said they were yet to be served with the amended charge.
Justice Idris directed that the amended charge be served on the defendants in court, which was done.
Akuma argued that the prosecution ought to have filed an application for leave to amend the charge to enable the defence respond.

“We ask for an adjournment to enable us look at the charge to decide on the next step.
“It accords with procedure and fair hearing for me to study it having just been served,” he said.
Other defence counsel aligned themselves with Akuma’s submission.

Justice Idris adjourned until June 13 for possible re-arraignment and hearing of the no-case submission.

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