Joseph Bakare
The Federal High Court in Lagos has directed that the former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, should surrender 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.