Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has officially returned to the Senate after his release from prison.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday, officially welcomed Kalu, who is the Chief Whip of the Senate.
Senator Kalu was recently released from a Nigeria Correctional Service’s custodial centre.
The former governor of Abia State was on December 5, 2019 .
Kalu was found guilty by a Federal High Court in Lagos on fraud charges and remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
His conviction and sentencing to 12 years in jail came 12 years after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed N7.65 billion fraud charge against him.
The EFCC had filed the charge in 2007.
However, the Supreme Court, ruling on an appeal filed by his co-defendant, quashed the trial on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court’s judgment followed an appeal contending that the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, concluded the 12-year-old trial and gave judgment after he had been elevated to the Court of Appeal and ceased to be a judge of the Federal High Court.
Notwithstanding the Supreme Court rulling over Kalu’s trial alongside Ude Jones Udeogu and his company, Slok Nigeria Ltd, he was not permitted to benefit from the judgement because he was not the applicant.
As a result, before the Federal High Court in Lagos, asking the court to set aside his trial, conviction and sentence for 12 years imprisonment on 39-count charges.
And on June 2, a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered his release from the custodial centre.
Justice Mohammad Liman gave the order releasing Kalu following the application brought on his behalf by his lawyers led by Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Author:Joshua Odeyemi
