By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has asked a Federal High Court Abuja, to transfer the fresh trial of former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu to Lagos division of the court.
The Senator representing Abia South constituency and two others are standing trial over an alleged N7.1billion fraud.
The application seeking the transfer was brought pursuant to sections 18, 19, 22 and 45 of the federal high court act 2010 and section 93 of the administration of criminal justice act, 2015.
At the resumed trial, yesterday, counsel to the EFCC, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, in his application prayed for an order of the federal high court in Abuja, transferring the case with charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/56/2007 between federal republic of Nigeria and ORJI Uzor Kalu and two others to the Lagos division of the court.
Oluwaleke Atolagbe in the application said it is predicated on 5 grounds among which are that the Abuja division of the federal high court lacked the requisite territorial Jurisdiction to entertain and try the defendants in the instant charge.
Another ground for seeking transfer of the trial was that the charge was preferred against Orji Uzor Kalu, Slok Nigeria Limited and Ude Jones Udeogu at the federal high court Abuja sometime in number 2007 by the EFCC, following investigation by the commission.
The motion further indicated that after taking their plea, the defendant brought application challenging the competence of the charge and contending that there was no primal facie case against them.
Justice Binta Nyako who was hearing the matter was transferred out of Abuja, Prompting the trial to start de novo.
Following the decision of the Supreme Court that many of the ingredients of the offenses against them occurred in Lagos and even most of the witnesses who are bank workers reside in Lagos, the EFCC applied to the chief Judge of the federal high court to transfer the matter to Lagos.
Satisfied that many of the ingredients of the offenses occurred in Lagos the chief Judge transferred the case to Lagos division of the court.
When the matter came on Thursday, justice Inyang Ekwo said that he would not be able to take the application in view of the approaching Easter holidays.
Meantime, the matter is fixed for May 17, for determination of the application.
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