The Supreme Court has upturned the judgment convicting the former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu.
A seven-man panel of the apex court on Friday also nullified the judgment which convicted a former Director of Finance and Account of Abia State Government, Ude Udeogu.
The apex court’s decision now upturns Kalu’s 12-year jail term announced by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos on April 24, 2019.
Kalu was convicted on corruption charges while Mr Udeogu was on the same day sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
The duo approached the Supreme Court for appeal against the judgement.
In a unanimous verdict on the appeal delivered by Justice Ejembi Eko, the apex court declared that the conviction of the appellants was null and void.
Justice Eko said the judgement was nullified on the ground that Justice Mohammed Idris was already a Justice of the Court of Appeal at the time he delivered the judgment sentencing the appellants.
Eko said a Justice of the Court of Appeal cannot operate as a judge of the Federal High Court.
The apex court, therefore, ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the case for trial.
