The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, has said his five months in jail afforded him the opportunity of learning “invaluable lessons” about Nigeria and the citizenry.
Kalu, who is representing Abia North Senatorial District at the red chamber, stated this while reacting to a Supreme Court judgment delivered in his favour on Friday.
The apex court, in a unanimous decision by a seven-member panel led by Justice Amina Augie, held that the Federal High Court in Lagos acted without jurisdiction when it convicted Kalu, his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited and a former Director of Finance in Abia State, Jones Udeogu, in December last year.
It further held that trial Justice Mohammed Liman was no longer a judge of the Federal High Court as of the time he sat and delivered the judgment that convicted the defendants for allegedly stealing about N7.1bn from the Abia State treasury when he was governor.
Kalu said, “The past five months have been quite a profound period for me. As challenging as that period has been, it has provided me an opportunity to learn invaluable lessons about our country, our peoples, our justice system, and the true meaning of love. I mean love for family, love for our country, and love for humanity.”
He, however, expressed delight that the Supreme court judgment affirmed his right to a fair hearing and equal protection of the law. (Text courtesy Punch)