As Kalu, Nnamani and Dariye's trial begins: EFCC to arraign more ex-Govs today
By Ise-Oluwa Ige, Tony Edike & Chris Ochayi
Monday, July 16, 2007

Kalu defiant, says I'm ready for trial
Nnamani restricted to hospital bed
Dariye, Kalu, Nnamani face 192-count charge
ABUJA — THE immediate past governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Kalu, yesterday dismissed as laughable the multiple charges of corruption slammed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) even as there were indications last night that more ex-Governors mightl be arraigned today by the anti-graft commission
Kalu who spoke through his lead counsel, Prof Awa Kalu (SAN), challenged the EFCC to prove its case against him if it had any. He said he was not only ready to face trial but also vowed not to employ any delay tactic to frustrate the trial.

His Enugu State counterpart, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, has however denied that he was arrested by the EFCC in an Abuja hospital.


Also, immediate past governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Boni Haruna, has vowed to fight the allegation of corruption against him by the EFCC with the same doggedness he and others fought the failed third term project.


“We will fight this one too with the doggedness we fought third term and my instigated impeachment," he said in a 15-page statement, yesterday on his recent encounter with the commission.


The trial of Chief Kalu; former governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye; and former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Saminu Turaki, is commencing today in Abuja.


“We are not filing any objection to the charges against my client. We are not interested in delaying the trial. We will take our pleas tomorrow (today) and of course, we are ready for trial,” Prof. Kalu, Kalu’s counsel told Vanguard yesterday.


The EFCC’s proof of evidence contains the list of witnesses to testify against the governors; statements of each of the governors on the allegations during their chat with the commission; statements of witnesses of the prosecution, petitions written against the governors which prompted their probe and other relevant documentary evidence attached as exhibits.


It attached a list of 21 witnesses to testify against Kalu. The prosecution witnesses include: Romanus K Madu, Michael A Udo, Uche Abba, Nnedinna Onyegbula, Umoh Asuquo, Romanus Eke, Vincent Ofolebe, Okeey Okoye and Felix Igbinosa.


Others are Nneka Okenwa, Tony Achebe, Onoval Oghenovo, Boye Ogunmolade, Christiana Ohiri, Cyprian Agwa, Ibrahim Magu (CSP) and Adetayo Funke (SP).

Adamu Habeeb, Dongoyaro Isah, Mohammed Lawal and Chidi Chukwuka are also on the list.


The last four witnesses are to give evidence of their investigations and tender necessary exhibits.

According to the criminal information filed at the registry of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court by EFCC last Friday, Kalu is facing a 107-count charge. In the information, Kalu was said to have diverted state monies under his control worth N2.7 billion into his private business.

Ex-Governor Kalu is to be tried alongside Emeka Uzor Kalu (now at large) and Eunice Agwu (also at large).


He allegedly conspired with the two others to divert the N2.7 billion Abia State monies to finance his private business, Slok Nigeria Limited.

The EFCC had approached Justice Binta Murtala Nyarko via an ex parte application for an order arresting Kalu over criminal allegations touching on money laundering running into billions of naira. That was after entreaties to the governor by the commission to appear before it for a brief chat failed.


The trial judge granted the ex parte application but the warrant of arrest issued could not be executed because the governor was not readily available.

Kalu was arrested last Wednesday and brought to court last Friday to face the multiple count charge of money-laundering drawn up against him. But he could not be arraigned because he was brought to court late Friday.


Nnamani denies arrest


Also yesterday, the immediate past Governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, dismissed as untrue, media reports that he had been arrested by operatives of the EFCC, saying it was unfortunate that a section of the media had continued to “isolate” him as a trophy and “demonize” him over the current anti-graft investigations.


His Media Adviser, Mr. Igbonekwu Ogazimorah, in a statement wondered why the media had lately engaged in baseless speculations about his whereabouts even when it was clear that he had been appearing at the sitting of the Senate and actively performing his legislative functions.


Insisting that Senator Nnamani was not under any form of arrest or detention or even in a hideout, Mr Ogazimorah said Nnamani's whereabouts were known to the anti-graft agency and could be reached whenever the need arose.


The statement: “It has come to our attention that some persons, or even a group, appear to lose so much sleep about the freedom of Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, former Governor of Enugu State. “Lately, there is this particular upsurge in baseless speculations about his whereabouts, with much glee being given to the wish that he had either been apprehended or arraigned, or even fled the country. Predictably, news media organisations compete on the latest news on Nnamani, each stating only the wish of its sources, not the fact of the matter.


“Again, as well stated over time, Chimaroke Nnamani is in Nigeria, free, attending his duties as Senator of the Federal Republic in the Federal Capital, Abuja and not under any form of arrest.


“Nnamani, we must understand, returned to Nigeria, after his holidays abroad, to perform these Senate functions. It was also on his volition that he responded to the request of the EFCC to report for some investigations. Till date, he has kept his dates with this agency and has not at anytime entertained any kind of thought of doing otherwise.


“It is surprising to us, as we believe it would be to others, that rather than aspire to investigate according to the rule of law, what appears to appeal to these news sources is the proposal for an abridgement of the freedom of other persons.


“It is equally curious that each time EFCC is mentioned, there is this spirited effort to have Nnamani on the front burner and as the demon to be demolished. Indeed, by these frenzied attempts to isolate Nnamani, it is clear to us that there is a well coordinated attempt to make the ex-governor”s name appear synonymous with EFCC much as it looks like these promoters would wish all the other cases of EFCC to disappear so as to pile all the other smearing campaigns on the person of Senator Chimaroke Nnamani."

The ex-Governors expected to be arraigned today, according to Vanguard' s sources in Abuja last night, are Dr Chimaroke Nnamani and the Rev Jolly Nyame.

When is Tinubu's turn to face the music? That guy stole Lagos blind.