The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday sought the transfer of the case file of Senate Chief Whip, Orji Kalu’s case file from the Abuja division to the Lagos division of the federal high court.
The former governor of Abia state was re-arraigned for a 7.1 naira money laundering charge before Inyang Ekwo, a federal high court judge.
Kalu was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment in December 2019 but the supreme court voided his conviction and ordered a re-trial on the grounds that Mohammed Idris, the trial judge, had no jurisdiction to hear the matter after he was elevated to the court of appeal.
Kalu and Jones Udeogu, a former director of finance and account of the state are standing trial under a 36-count charge preferred against them by the EFCC.
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At the court session, Chine Okoroma, counsel for the EFCC, informed the court of a pending letter before the chief judge asking for the transfer of the case to Lagos, The Cable reports.
Okoroma said none of the offences took place in Abuja and that the supreme court has held that the case cannot be heard in the FCT.
“On January 20, 2021, the prosecution had written a letter to the CJ requesting for the case file to be transferred to the Lagos division,” he said.
“We have also written a reminder dated February 2 to the deputy chief registrar.
“The matter cannot proceed in Abuja if not it would be an exercise in futility.”
He asked the court to adjourn the matter sine die, pending a reply from the chief judge.
Ruling on the application, Ekwo held: “Even without your application, the matter cannot go on.”
“But I cannot adjourn the matter sine die. There must be a specific date for report,” he said.
The judge adjourned the case till June 7 for feedback.
