A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday convicted a former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu of N7.1bn fraud.
The former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu was found guilty by Justice Mohammed Idris alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and Udeh Udeogu, a Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House during the former Governor’s tenure.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Kalu, his Commissioner for Finance, Udeh Jones Udeogu, and his company, Slok Nigeria Limited before the court on an amended 39 count charge.
They were alleged to have used the following banks to perpetrate the alleged fraud, Manny Bank, Spring Bank Plc,( now Heritage Bank), the defunct Standard Trust Bank, now United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) and Fin Land Bank, now First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
The alleged offences according to the EFCC are contrary to sections 17(c) 16, 14(1)(b)17(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2003, and sections 427 of the same Act.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The court is yet to hand down the sentence.
Details later.