N3.2bn Fraud: Court Adjourns Kalu, Others Trial To June 8
Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos Wednesday adjourned further hearing in the on- going trial of former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu over an alleged N3.2 billion fraud till June 8.
The judge adjourned the case after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) called it fifth prosecution witness, a compliance Officer with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mrs. Toyosi Ekorhi.
The banker tendered two bank documents belonging to Slok Nigeria Limited, a company owned by the former Abia State Governor, the documents are account opening package and statement of account of Slok Nigeria Limited.
Kalu, his Commissioner for Finance, Udeogu, and his company, Slok Nigeria Limited are being tried before the Court, by anti-graft agency on an amended 34 count charge of N3.2 billion fraud.
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).
They however all pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Ekorhi, while being led-in-evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that the two documents were retrieved from the archive of Inland Bank, which her bank had acquired.
The defence legal team did not oppose the admissibility of the documents.
Consequently, the court admitted the two documents and marked them as exhibit 57, and Exhibit 58 to 93.
The witness who claimed to have joined FCMB in October 13, 2008, in her evidence told the court that the signatories to exhibit 58 ( account opening package) are Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Festus Chukwuemeka, Madugbue Okocha, and Benedict E. Edet.
While the signatories to the account’s mandate card are: Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Emeka Abunne, Ogbonna Amougo, Madukwe Okocha, the documents authentication was done on November 8, 1999, by one Jullie O.
However, the witness while being cross-examined by Goddy Uche (SAN) lawyer to Dr. Kalu, told the court that from the exhibit F75 which is before the court, the Directors of Slok Nigeria Limited are Chief I. J. Ijeoma, Mrs. Ifeoma Kalu, M. S. Ogbonne Kalu, Mrs. E. Agbor, Mrs. M. Uzor and Mr. M. Uzor, adding that Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was not listed as director in his company, Slok Nigeria Limited.
The witness also told the court that she did not have the knowledge of the two documents neither did she handle the transactions as were done in Fin Bank, between August 27, 2008 and November 12, 2012.
Ekorhi when probed by Chief Solo Akuma (SAN), lawyer to the second defendant, Udeogu, said the name of the second defendant did not appear in the bank documents as a director in Slok Nigeria Limited.
Chief K. C. Nwofo (SAN) counsel to Slok Nigeria Limited, however sought for adjournment to enable him go through the bank’s documents, which he said were served on him today.