Orji Uzor Kalu deserves EFCC apology, not retrial — Enugu APC

By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Enugu State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to tender an apology to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

News Express reports that Kalu who had been in prison custody following conviction by a High Court has now been set free by the apex court in the land.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the Party in the State, Dr. Ben Nwoye, said the former Abia Governor “deserves an apology from EFCC not a re-prosecution.”

While describing Kalu as “our leader, an Igbo icon”, Nwoye said: “Today, more than ever before, our trust in the Nigerian judicial system has deepened. It took the court to right the wrong of another court. This victory stands as a testimony that the court is indeed the last hope for both a common man and uncommon man.”

He added: “Injustice to a common man is equally as painful as injustice to an uncommon man. We are happy to know that your determination has pulled you through. We are comforted by your exemplary determination to change the criminal justice system to ensure that no innocent person shall suffer unlawful incarceration in our nation.

“God has used five months of your productive and youthful life to expose over half a century decay in our criminal justice system. We thank God and we thank the learned jurists for giving you back your freedom.

“We respectfully demand that the EFCC should render an apology to you for wrongful prosecution. It is a time for deep reflection on the part of EFCC and not a time to make puffy statements regarding further prosecution. One wrong prosecution has already resulted in five months of unlawful incarceration.”
On plans by the EFCC to re-arraign the lawmaker in court, the Party Chairman said, “H.E Senator Kalu deserves an apology from EFCC not a re-prosecution.

“We respectfully request that EFCC should channel its resources to the prosecution of backlogs of other cases instead of engaging in vindictive repeat prosecution of an Igbo Icon.

“We are calling on the Senate and House Committee on Judiciary to investigate the facts and circumstances that led to the malicious prosecution and unlawful incarceration of Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

“The good people of Enugu State and indeed the entire Nigerian people would like to know how an Appeal Court Justice stepped down from his upper chambers and sneaked into a lower court room and handed out an unlawful criminal conviction against a serving Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The key question that begs the answer is, ‘was it a mistake or was it a political witch-hunt?’ We fear that it is the latter.

“Once again, I and on behalf of the good people of Enugu State APC welcome back our hero. You are the Mandela of our time. Nigerian people look forward to enjoying the quality representation you brought in the red chamber.”