The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Federal Government and its agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission not to retry the former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzo Kalu on the 7.1 billion naira fraud case he was earlier convicted. Justice Inyang Ekwo made the order while delivering a judgment on the application filed by Kalu seeking to stop his retrial on the grounds that it would amount to double jeopardy if he faces the same trial again after he was released from prison. The judge held that there was no extant order that directed for retrial of Kalu saying that the judgment of the supreme court did not affect Kalu. The judge held that Supreme Court only ordered the retrial of former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu, who was the Appellant before it. Speaking after the court verdict, the counsel to EFCC, Oluwaleke Atolagbe vowed to appeal against the judgment. The Court also ordered for retrial of Udeogu who was convicted along with Kalu and adjourned to January 11, 2022 for commencement of the retrial.
