Justice Idris Mohammed sitting at the Federal High Court, Lagos, Nigeria, has sentenced Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, to 12 years imprisonment after declaring the former Abia state governor guilty of N7.1bn fraud charge levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Judge declared Kalu and his co-defendants guilty of the 39 counts charge filed against them by the EFCC.
Kalu’s associate, Udeogu, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while the company which was used in perpetrating the fraud, Slok Limited, was ordered to be wound up.
While being escorted out of court after the judgement, Kalu, who is the current Nigerian Senate’s Chief Whip, begged the prison warders not to handcuff him in public.
The former governor, who appeared shaken, was heard saying, “Where are you taking us to now? Please, don’t handcuff me. I will follow you.”