EFCC Re-Arraigns Kalu, Two Others On Alleged Fraud

About eight years after the case was stalled, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday recommenced the trial of former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu and two others.

Kalu, his ex-aide, Jones Udeogo, and the ex-governor’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited, were re-arraigned on a 34-count charge before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Before the arraignment, Kalu and others had argued against the proceedings and urged the court to await the pending appeal by Slok before the Supreme Court.

Trial judge, Justice Anwuri Chikere, rejected the defendants’ objection to their arraignment and ordered that the charge be read out to them.

In the amended charge, Kalu and others were accused of diverting about N3.2billion from the Abia State Government’s treasury during his (Kalu) tenure as Abia State governor.

They pleaded not guilty when the charges were read out to them, following which the court granted them bail on the terms attached to the one granted them in April 2008 by Justice Adamu Bello (now retired).

The court adjourned to December 6 for the commencement of trial.

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Security Alert; Bart Ransomware Bypasses Corporate Firewalls

A new ransomware variant has emerged that’s similar to widespread threats such as Dridex 220 and Locky Affid=3, but uses a security-evading technique that may allow it to attack organisations protected from other malware, according to computer security researchers. Ransomware has spread quickly in the last few months, as a number of payouts have attracted cyber-criminals to the technique.

US Demands Immediate End To South Sudan Fighting

The United States demanded an immediate end to renewed fighting in the capital of South Sudan on Sunday, ordering all non-essential personnel out of the troubled country. "The United States strongly condemns the latest outbreak of fighting in Juba today between forces aligned with President Salva Kiir Mayardit and those aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar Teny, including reports we have that civilian sites may have been attacked," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

Prisoner escapes in Benin city

An inmate on Wednesday morning escaped from the court where he was taken to for his trial. The unidentified inmate, escaped from the watchful eyes of prison officials who took him and other inmates to court. The prisoner, an awaiting trial inmate in Oko medium prison, Benin, escaped at the premises of the state high court, Benin. A prison official who spoke with The reporter under the condition of anonymity, said prison warders have been sent to go after the escaped prisoner. Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Edo command of the Nigerian Prison Services (NPS), Mr Aminu Suleiman declined speaking to journalists on it. The spokesman, who could neither deny nor confirm the report, said he was not in a position to speak on the issue. Suleiman said that the state commander of the NPS, Mr Effiom Etowa, was out of the state on official assignment.

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