Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu on Wednesday presented his first Bill since his assumption of office, following his return from prison.
Igbere TV reports that the bill seeks to amend the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) Act, 2015. It was marked, “ACJ Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (SB .465).”
The bill was read by Clerk of the Senate Mr. Nelson Ayewoh and was passed for second reading after a voice vote presided over by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan.
Speaking through his aide, Barr. Emeka Nwala, Sen. Orji Kalu said the bill is aimed at strengthening the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) Act.
He explained further that the bill seeks to amend the ACJ Act 2015 sections contradicting the principles of fair hearing and court jurisdiction as provided in the Constitution.
The Supreme Court had in an unanimous judgement on May 8 faulted a section of the ACJ Act which sentenced Kalu to 12 years imprisonment over alleged fraud December last year.
The section relied upon by the President of the Court of Appeal to grant leave to the trial judge, who had been elevated to the Court of Appeal, to return to the lower court to conclude the case.
Senator Orji Kalu spent 6 months in incarceration at the Kuje Custodial Centre, Abuja after he was sentenced by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
However, the apex court, in a unanimous judgment by the Justice Amina Augie-led seven-man panel, held that the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction when it tried and convicted Kalu, his firm – Slok Nigeria Limited.
The Supreme court panel later quashed the judgment, insisting that Justice Idris, who conducted the trial and sentenced Kalu, was no longer a judge of the Federal High Court as at the time he delivered the judgment.
The Apex Court held that having been elevated to the Court of Appeal, Justice Idris, lacked the powers to return to sit as a Federal High Court Judge.
