- A witness summoned to testify in the N3.2 billion corruption trial involving former governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu, has refused to testify
- Kingsley Ekwem, a legal practitioner, said he would not testify because of the existing relationship between his chambers and the third defendant in the case, Slok Nigeria Ltd
- Kalu's lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN) urged the court not to compel the witness to tesitfy
A legal practitioner, Kingsley Ekwem, that was summoned as a prosecution witness in a N3.2 billion corruption trial involving the former governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu and two others, has declined to testify.
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Ekwem asked Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos, to set aside the witness summons served on him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to testify in the matter, Channels reports.
NAIJ.com gathered that in his argument of the application he filed to challenge the court's summons, the Ekwem said he would not be able to testify in the matter because of the existing relationship between his chambers and the third defendant in the case, Slok Nigeria Limited, adding that he is not a compellable witness to testify on issues that could breach the professional communication between his law firm and the third defendant.
In buttressing his point, the lawyer cited certain provisions of the Evidence Act 2011 as well as the rules of professional conduct for legal practitioners.
However, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) countered by arguing that the lawyers’ position was not founded on law, insisting that Ekwem could only raise objections to the witness summons after he had entered the witness box in obedience to the court’s order.
In his submissions on the issue, ex-governor Kalu’s lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN) urged the court to consider the relevant provisions of the Evidence Act in granting the application, arguing that the EFCC cannot put the lawyer in the witness box because the prosecution witness through which the document was tendered as an exhibit had informed the court that it was obtained through a search warrant.
Kalu's lawyer, therefore, urged the court not to compel the applicant to testify so as to thwart what he called the EFCC’s ulterior motive of incriminating his client, Orji Kalu.
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The lawyer's submission was supported by other defence lawyers. Justice Mohammed Idris, however, fixed ruling on the application for February 1.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the trial of the former governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu, made appreciable progress in court on Tuesday, November 28, 2017.
Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos admitted in evidence a number of documents tendered by the EFCC against Kalu.
Kalu is being prosecuted alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited and his former commissioner for finance, Jones James Udeogu, for money laundering to the tune of over N3.2 billion.
The EFCC stage a walk against corruption - on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng