N7.65bn fraud: Fresh hope for Orji Kalu, as Court grants co-defendant post-conviction bail

The incarcerated Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, may be on the path to freedom as the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday granted post-conviction bail to his co-defendant, Jones Udeogu.

The presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Liman, had on Thursday  granted Udeogu  N50 million bail with two sureties in like sum, after hearing the application by his lawyer, Solo Akuma (SAN).

The judge was informed that the applicant is suffering from prostate cancer and tuberculosis and that the correctional facility where he is serving his jail term “does not have facility to provide the type of medical treatment required.

In his ruling, Justice Liman said he was satisfied that Udeogu had disclosed reasonable cause of action to qualify for a post-conviction bail, pending the determination of his appeal against his conviction.

Though, the application for bail succeeded but the request of Orji Kalu based on health grounds amongst others, was turned down in December. It is, however, not certain if Kalu’s bail application will be revisited.

Jones Udeogu was Director of Finance and Account at the Abia State Government House when Kalu was governor. Kalu was sentenced to 12 years while Udeogu was sentenced to 10 years in jail in December 2019, after being convicted for fraud.