Former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday denied allegations that he stole N7.2 billion while at the helm between 1999 and 2007. He said the Abia State under him had no such fund, Igbere TV reports.

Kalu made the denial while continuing his testimony before Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos to prove his innocence of the allegation level against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former governor while responding to a question from his lawyer, Prof. Awa Kalu (SAN) over the allegation, disclosed that there was no way he could stole what was non-existence.

“Abia State doesn’t have such amount. Even the day I was leaving, we borrowed money to pay salaries. Abia State doesn’t have even a billion naira in any account at the time I was governor”, he said.



To back up his denial of the allegations, the former governor who is currently the Chief Whip of the Senate also spoke about the difficulties he encountered in running the State with allocations from federal government.

He said: The monthly allocation of Abia State when I took over in June 1999 was N168 million. It was averaging between N168 million and N172 million monthly. The first month that I came in, there was even no money to buy diesel. I spent my own money to run the state for six months.

“In the year 2000, monthly allocation was between N170 million and N189 million. In 2001, it came to about N302 million to about N380 million. I can recollect in 2002, it was almost the same and in 2003 when the revenue allocation was changed, we were having about N400 million.

“The highest money I got as governor came from 2004 when we have about N1 billion and from that time up till May 2007 before I left, what we had was N1.6 billion.

“Throughout my stay in office, I never owed salary and pension. When I took over as governor and before I left, we moved it up to N500 million. It was from this that we were able to do a lot of things”.

Kalu had earlier in his evidence told the court that he has been a successful businessman before venturing into politics.

Speaking on his line of businesses before he began his political journey, he said: “I was running a group of companies under Slok Nigeria Ltd and I have a big furniture factory in Maiduguri. I was also trading in cows. The cows were coming from Chad to Umuahia. I also had a vegetable oil factory in Aba supplying to people in Kano and Maiduguri.

“I was also into shipping activities with major oil companies. We also have a very big corn farm in the East and Bauchi.

“We were a major shareholder before another shareholder bought off First Bank. In 1994, the then Hallmark Bank had a problem and I later bought majority stake in the bank. We also had major interests in Banks in DRC, Gambia, Sieria-leone, Liberia and the then Sudan before crisis set in”.

The former governor also disclosed that he also deals in buying and selling of property.

He further disclosed that he made all his statements to the EFCC under bad treatment from some police officers.

“When I learnt they were looking for me, I called Ibrahim Lamorde that I was in the United States and that I will show up upon my return to the country.

“But when I returned to Nigeria, they were waiting for me at the airport and whisked me away to their office. After I was beating up thoroughly by police officers, I asked them what was my offence and they told me I have been insulting President Obasanjo. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Ibrahim Lamorde later came to apologize to me”.

Further hearing in the matter continues tomorrow

http://igberetvnews.com/938887/beaten-efcc-operatives-kalu-denies-stealing-n7-2b-abia-funds/

Abia does nt have 1 Billion??

Bear your cross abeg!

Face of a liar

If this case doesn't end by December and if this man is not convicted ehn....

Biafrans are warming up for you!!!

Supposing Buhari is truly fighting corruption, is Orji not supposed to be in prison before now
Modified:
Even Theodore Orji accused him of squandering Abians resources thereby making it difficult for him to perform

As at then he was accused of stealing over N1.8m and here he is saying Abia does not have up to N1B

I remember vividly how many workers were crying about unpaid salaries!!!

As I speak some villages have not seen electricity for the first time

So what is he saying

the part important (am using my money to run d state,God punish you sir, for lying)

Left for make them they flog all this polictian better koboko dem go get sense. On a more serious note bet9ja virtual is keeping me on hostage. Since 2016

lol
Meet all know you stole lots of cash
Enjoy your loots

How's dat my business

Is that what COWhari told you to say

YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN ONCE THE BROOM IS SIGHTED

in a saner community, people like this with all the allegations are not expected to be in the corridor of power.

See this "Lion"

Bloody theives everywhere, no wonder the country is a Mess...

This will not solve any of our problems.

Okay

dododawa1:
the part important (am using my money to run d state,God punish you sir, for lying)

Even if he didn't say that, you will still insult him.

Awon nairaland insulters club.

Orji's case has been settled. EFCC should stop wasting our scarce resources.

He deals in cows....and that was spotted by no one....from BAUCHI to ABIA... Na dem they bring in the fulanis...you see why the FULANIS are untouchable?

ok

If IPOB beat him in Germany same Nigerians commenting here will start shouting....HEY THEY DON'T RESPECT THEIR ELDERS...oh they are miscreant

But someone is stealing your future and dumping them in Swiss bank

We don't protect evil just because he's one of our own...we want to filter which ever leader that is left in Igbo land so that when BIAFRA come we won't have the dirty TOUCH OF NIGERIA IN OUR GOVERNMENT

Oleburuku. Thief

saac