Former Governor of Abia state and Senator representing Abia North Senatorial district,Orji Uzor Kalu, has been released from prison custody.

Mr Kalu’s release came moments after the Supreme Court voided his conviction in December 2019 in a multi-billion naira corruption trial.

The Supreme Court ruled that  Mr Kalu’s conviction  was inappropriate and ordered a retrial of the case.

A seven-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous verdict delivered by Justice Ejembi Eko, declared that the conviction null and void.

The Supreme Court declared that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted Mr Kalu, was already a justice of the Court of Appeal, when he ruled and sentenced Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

The court said that a Justice of the Court of Appeal cannot operate as a judge of the Federal High Court, and ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the case for trial.

Senator Kalu had been accused of mismanaging funds belonging to Abia State when he served as governor from 1999 to 2007. He pleaded not guilty and appealed his conviction by the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court.