A former governor of Abia State, and Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Kalu, who was convicted, last December, for allegedly diverting N7.5 billion while holding sway as the state Chief Executive, regained his freedom, Wednesday evening.
Kalu, who was jailed last December 5, was released from the Kuje Correctional Facility, Abuja, Wednesday evening.
Reports said the former Abia Governor had, at the time of this report, arrived at his Abuja residence, situated on Queen Amina Street, within the perimeter of Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
Earlier on Tuesday, a Lagos Division of the Federal High Court had ordered the immediate release of Kalu from the Kuje facility.
The presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Liman, granted an application moved by Kalu’s counsel, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, seeking his release.
The former governor had told the court to set aside Kalu’s conviction on December 5, 2019 by Justice Mohammed Idris, since the Supreme Court had, in its verdict of May 8, 2020, ruled that Justice Idris gave the judgement without jurisdiction having been promoted to the Court of Appeal at the time of the judgement.