• Advertise
  • Contact
GFH News
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • Others
    • Security
    • Health
    • Metro/General News
    • Crime
    • Law/Judiciary
    • Entertainment
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • Others
    • Security
    • Health
    • Metro/General News
    • Crime
    • Law/Judiciary
    • Entertainment
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
GFH News
No Result
View All Result
Home Law/Judiciary

Orji Kalu: Lawyers express divergent views on reversal of conviction

gfhnews.com by gfhnews.com
May 8, 2020
in Law/Judiciary
0
0
SHARES
2
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Some lawyers in Lagos on Friday expressed different views on the nullification of  former Gov. Orji Kalu’s conviction by the Supreme Court.

Some of them said that the Supreme Court’s decision was expected while others said that Supreme Court’s nullification of the conviction on technical grounds was not worrisome.

The Supreme Court on Friday nullified the Dec. 5, 2019, judgement of the Federal High Court which convicted Kalu and Ude Udeogu, a former Director of Finance and Accounts in Abia Government House, of N7.1 billion fraud.

Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos sentenced Kalu, a serving senator, to 12 years’ imprisonment and sentenced Udeogu to 10 years’ imprisonment.

The Supreme Court, however, nullified the judgement and ordered retrial of the case on grounds that the trial judge was no longer in the Federal High Court at the time he delivered the judgement.

Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) said that he knew that the judgment of the trial court was technically flawed.

“It was easy to predict that it might not survive on appeal based on the fact that the judge come from the Court of Appeal to conclude and deliver judgment in a criminal trial that he was handling before his elevation to the Court of Appeal.

“The Administration of Criminal Justice Law gave that leeway, but it requires a constitutional amendment to validate it.

“Unfortunately, we did not have such amendment at the material time and sadly, till date .

“All hope is not lost, however; the legislature can be approached to do the needful and render this judgment academic for future cases,” Owonikoko said.

Another lawyer, Mr Chris Ayiyi, said that  the apex court did not err in its decision.

“That is the position of the law.  As at the time the judge was elevated, he had become funtus officio in that case.

“He could have written the judgment and allowed any judge at the high court to read it,” Ayiyi said.

Reacting, Mr Chibuikem Opara, also a lawyer  noted that the apex court relied on technicalities in giving the judgment.

“This reliance on technicalities is becoming too many as it goes a long way to erode public confidence  in the judiciary as epitomised by the Supreme Court.

“The earlier we place less reliance on technicalities, the better for Nigeria,”Opara said.

According to him, the trial judge, Idris, began trial in the case while he was a high court judge, but concluded the case by fiat which gave him jurisdiction to conclude the case.

Previous Post

COVID-19: Oyo Govt., UI partner with herbal practitioners to find cure

Next Post

COVID-19: Police inaugurate task team on movement of foods, agricultural inputs in Kaduna

gfhnews.com

gfhnews.com

Next Post

COVID-19: Police inaugurate task team on movement of foods, agricultural inputs in Kaduna

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected test

  • 79 Followers
  • 22.9k Followers
  • 99 Subscribers
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Creative Industry Group honours Ovularia of ‘New Masquerade’

Creative Industry Group honours Ovularia of ‘New Masquerade’

December 6, 2020
Arrest me with proof that I plan instigating violence in Ebonyi — Egwu

Arrest me with proof that I plan instigating violence in Ebonyi — Egwu

November 28, 2020
Witness reveals roles played by Lt.-Col. Bello, Brig.-Gen. Omata at Lekki Tollgate shootings

Ilorin popular Prophet bags 4-yr jail term for dealing in human parts

December 14, 2020
Police operatives rescue two persons from bandits in Kaduna

3 in police net for allegedly stealing 3-day-old child in Kaduna

November 27, 2020

My career at a crossroads – Aubameyang

2

Lady, 28, dumps my 65year-old brother at LUTH after stealing his millions – Sister

2

Court orders final forfeiture of N426.7m belonging to rtd. Army General

1

Mapoly 2007 Mass Comm graduates provide stimulus packages for colleagues

1
EFCC arrests ex Bauchi HoS for alleged vote buying, finds N1.5m in his booth

Businesswoman defrauded job seekers of N32m for fictitious NNPC jobs-EFCC operative alleges

January 19, 2021
I never knew I would be governor – Diri

No plan to impeach Bayelsa governor, says Assembly

January 19, 2021
Messi gets 2-game ban after first red card in Spain

Messi gets 2-game ban after first red card in Spain

January 19, 2021
Court dismisses NJC’s objection on Justice Ajumogobia’s dismissal

N24bn Police pension fraud: absence of EFCC witness stalls trial

January 19, 2021

Recent News

EFCC arrests ex Bauchi HoS for alleged vote buying, finds N1.5m in his booth

Businesswoman defrauded job seekers of N32m for fictitious NNPC jobs-EFCC operative alleges

January 19, 2021
I never knew I would be governor – Diri

No plan to impeach Bayelsa governor, says Assembly

January 19, 2021
Messi gets 2-game ban after first red card in Spain

Messi gets 2-game ban after first red card in Spain

January 19, 2021
Court dismisses NJC’s objection on Justice Ajumogobia’s dismissal

N24bn Police pension fraud: absence of EFCC witness stalls trial

January 19, 2021

GFH News is a Nigeria based online news platform that gives news on the go. Our team gather news from different sectors, locally and internationally, with fact checks.
Get the news as it breaks.

Browse by Category

  • Agriculture
  • Banking
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • FACT CHECK
  • Feature
  • Foreign
  • Health
  • Labour
  • Law/Judiciary
  • Metro/General News
  • Oil&gas
  • Politics
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Security
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Tourism
  • Uncategorized
  • work

Recent News

EFCC arrests ex Bauchi HoS for alleged vote buying, finds N1.5m in his booth

Businesswoman defrauded job seekers of N32m for fictitious NNPC jobs-EFCC operative alleges

January 19, 2021
I never knew I would be governor – Diri

No plan to impeach Bayelsa governor, says Assembly

January 19, 2021
  • Advertise
  • Contact

© 2020 GFH News

No Result
View All Result

© 2020 GFH News