The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Thursday it may close its case in the trial of former Abia State Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, after a review.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The EFCC has called 16 witnesses since the case commenced.
The former governor is standing trial before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged money laundering.
EFCC re-arraigned Kalu, a former Director of Finance in Abia State Government House, Udeh Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited on 34 –count charge of laundering N3.2billion.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the judge he would like to review prosecution’s evidence so far to determine if there is need to call additional witnesses.
He said: “My lord, I ought to have closed my case today but I want to plead that the court gives me a day to look into all that we have presented so far in proving our case against the defendants before doing so.”
The 16th prosecution witness, Nonye Eghene, a compliance officer at the Diamond Bank Plc, tendered a document containing Slok’s account statement.
The witness said the transactions on the firm’s account were done before she joined the bank in 2008.
Under cross-examination by Kalu’s lawyer, Chief Gordy Uche (SAN), the witness denied knowledge of a facility of $10 million from United States’ Exim Bank to Slok which was guaranteed by Diamond Bank.
She was later asked by the lawyer to read out a letter from Diamond Bank to the EFCC which contained details of the transaction.
Justice Idris adjourned the matter till April 16.
