vindicated by an Abia State High Court in his suit against Abia State
University Uturu, where he sought for a redress on the withdrawal of
his certificate by the Senate of the institution.
The trial judge, Hon. Justice Agwu Umah Kalu, while granting all
reliefs sought by Kalu against the institution, faulted the report of
the Ad-hoc Senate Investigation Panel on allegations of Fraud and
Breach of Regulations concerning the admission and graduation of the
former governor.
The former Abia governor had dragged the institution to Court
following the March 1, 2013 cancellation and withdrawal of the degree
of the claimant without affording him an opportunity to defend himself
of "the grave allegations against him amounts to a breach of the
claimant's right to a fair hearing guaranteed under the Constitution
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)."
Justice Kalu while giving his verdict, mandated the Senate of the
university to "immediately restore the degree result and certificate
of Orji Kalu Orji. He also awarded a pay cost of the suit to the tune
of N100, 000 to the claimant.
The judgement reads in part, "Following all I have said above, the
court holds that the suit of the claimant is meritorious and grants
all the reliefs sought by the claimant.
"The Court proceeds to declare that the report of the Ad-hoc Senate
Investigation Panel on allegations of Fraud and Breach of Regulations
concerning the admission and graduation of the claimant [Kalu, Orji U.
00/42226-GDP] and the decision of the Senate of the Abia State
University of 1st March, 2013, which cancelled and withdrew the degree
result of the claimant [Kalu Orji U. 00/42226-GDP] without affording
the claimant an opportunity to defend the grave allegations against
him amounted to a breach of the claimant's right to a fair hearing
guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
1999 [as amended].
"Now, in consequence of the above declaration the court issues an
order removing into this court for the purpose of its being quashed,
the proceedings, decisions, findings and or report of the Abia State
University Ad-hoc Senate Investigation Panel on Allegations of Fraud
and Breach of Regulations concerning the admission and graduation of
the claimant, [Kalu, Orji U. 00/42226-GPD] for breach of the
claimant's right to fair hearing guaranteed under the Constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 [as amended].
"The court further issues an order removing into this court, for the
purpose of its being quashed, the decision of the 2ND defendant made
on the 1st day of March, 2013, which was based on the Report of the
Abia State University Senate's Adhoc Investigation Panel on
Allegations of Fraud and Breach of Regulations concerning the
admission and graduation of the claimant, [Kalu Orji, U. 00/42226-GPD]
for breach of the claimant's right to fair hearing guaranteed under
the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, [as
amended].
"Finally, an order issues from this court mandating and/or directing
the 2nd defendant to immediately restore the degree result and
certificate of the claimant Kalu Orji, U. 00/42226/-GPD.
"Costs naturally follow events. The defendants are pay costs of this
suit assessed and fixed at N100,000:00 to the claimant."
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