Court Orders Seizure Of Orji Kalu’s Passport, Revokes His Bail

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, to submit his international passport to the EFCC, within 24 hours upon his arrival into the country.

Justice Mohammed Idris in his ruling on Monday also retracted Kalu’s bail conditions granted to him in 2007 when he was first arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako in Abuja.

Recall that Kalu, who is facing N7.65bn fraud charges, was reported to have gone to Germany to treat an undisclosed ailment, without informing the court.

The trial was stalled on November 5, 2018, due to the absence of the ex-governor from the court and the matter was adjourned till November 12, 2018, for the continuation of the trial, but Kalu failed to make an appearance.

The judge ruled: “In the circumstances, I’m constrained to revoke the bail granted to the first defendant.

“The first defendant is permitted to continue his medical treatment abroad unharrassed by security agencies.

“Upon the first defendant’s return into the country, he shall, at the point of entry, surrender his passport and other relevant travel documents to the EFCC.

“He shall also surrender himself to the EFCC within 24 hours of his return, failing which he shall be arrested and detained by the EFCC.

“Let me state that there is no doubt that the first defendant is entitled to and has a right to life; he has a right to seek medical treatment within and outside the shores of Nigeria; this right is further guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“In enjoying these rights, the first defendant has a duty to follow due process of the law. In this case, the first defendant acted outside the purview of the law and he is expected to be dealt with in accordance with the law.

“This is a court of law and a court of justice in accordance with the law. This court is also a court of equity, but he who seeks equity must do equity. It is said that like fire spits fire, so is equity.

“When you seek equity, you must do equity.”

EFCC is prosecuting Kalu, together with his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo, and a company, Slok Nigeria Ltd for allegedly diverting over N7.1billion from the Abia State Government’s treasury, during Kalu’s tenure as Governor, 11 years ago.

Kalu, is the Abia North senatorial flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ahead of the 2019 general election.