Days after being found guilty and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment, the Nigerian senate has said that former Governor of Abia State and Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor, will continue to receive his salaries and all other entitlements while in prison.
According to the spokesperson of the Senate, Godiya Akwashiki, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, despite the conviction, Orji Kalu remains a sitting senator until the case gets to the Surpeme Court for a final judgement.
He said:
“He is still a senator. This is the first court. The matter is going to Supreme Court so, he still has the opportunity to appeal up to the Supreme Court level.
“Of course they will pay him. Because he is a sitting senator just like I said…if you file for appeal, you are still serving and so they will pay you.
“All his entitlements will be paid. There is no cause for alarm. In fact, even if Court of Appeal says they have upheld the judgement of the lower court, he still has the right to go to Supreme Court. So once the Supreme Court says, yes, the judgement is okay, then that’s the final.”
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday sentenced Mr Kalu to 12 years in prison after convicting him of N7.65 billion fraud.
The conviction comes 12 years after the ex-governor was first arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2007 and was tried alongside his company, Slok Nigeria Limited, and Udeh Udeogu, who was Director of Finance and Accounts at the Abia State Government House during Mr Kalu’s tenure as governor.
