The Igbos in diaspora have once more canvassed for justice, fairness and fair-play within the trial of terrorism offences introduced towards the chief of the Indigenous Folks of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu by the federal authorities.
The group particularly pleaded with the trial Decide, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja to not tilt in favour of the federal authorities within the trial however to uphold equity and the sanctity of judiciary in resolving the matter.
In an open letter to the decide, the Igbos in diaspora working below the aegis of the American Veterans of Igbo First rate (AVID), requested Justice Nyako to comply with the dictates of Nigeria’s Structure and related legal guidelines to do justice and free Kanu from the fees.
Within the letter signed by Dr Sylvester Onyia, and Godson Obiagwu, AVID President, and Secretary respectively, they begged the Decide to contemplate the admonitions of the Supreme Court docket that the bail earlier granted him ought to not have been revoked.
Justice Nyako had earlier refused the oral utility for bail argued by Kanu’s lead counsel, Aloy Ejiamakor and directed that the request be made in writing on the bottom that the federal excessive court docket is a court docket of report.
However the group stated that the request ought to have been granted in view of the deteriorating well being situation of the IPOB chief .
“The identical prisoner of conscience was unjustly arrested and even after fleeing his house on account of authorities invasion, he continues to face unjust imprisonment.
“His mother and father have been additionally subjected to bodily, emotional, and psychological torture resulting in their deaths. Injustice to Kanu is injustice all over the place.”
The Court docket of Enchantment in Abuja, had final 12 months discharged Kanu from terrorism prices towards him by the Federal Authorities and ordered his speedy unconditional launch.
The Federal Authorities appealed the judgment on the Supreme Court docket which authorities gained however the Court docket in a remark outdoors the judgment held that Kanu’s bail ought to not have been revoked.
In the meantime, Justice Nyako will on Could 20, 2024, rule on the request for restoration of Kanu’s revoked bail and the elimination from the custody of the Division of State Companies (DSS) to accommodate arrest or jail custody.
The court docket mounted the date after taking arguments from Kanu‘s authorized staff led by Aloy Ejimakor and that of the federal authorities, represented by Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).
Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021 in a movement argued by Ejimakor requested the court docket to revive the bail granted him in 2017 by the identical decide.
He informed the court docket that opposite to the declare of the federal authorities, he didn’t soar bail or breach any of the situations of the bail however needed to escape in a foreign country when the army allegedly invaded his home.
He informed the court docket that he would have been killed, if he had not escaped the way in which he did and accused the federal authorities of deceptive the court docket to get the bail revoked in his absence.
He additionally requested the court docket to put aside the arrest warrant issued towards him by the court docket whereas he was in a foreign country.
In a separate movement, additionally argued by his authorized staff, Kanu requested for his elimination from the custody of the DSS to a home arrest or within the different, to remand him in jail.
In addition to, he requested that his attorneys should be allowed unhindered entry to him to allow him put together for his defence within the terrorism prices towards him, including that, till these situations are met by the Federal Authorities consistent with Part 36 of the 1999 structure, he wouldn’t submit himself for trial.
Nevertheless, the federal authorized staff, led by Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, opposed granting of all of the requests made by Kanu.
The senior lawyer stated in legal issues, no defendant has the fitting to dictate to court docket how his prosecution could be carried out.
Awomolo informed the court docket that Kanu was as soon as admitted to bail however breeched the bail by escaping in a foreign country below false claims.
The senior lawyer argued that the recent request for bail by Kanu is a gross abuse of court docket course of, having been rejected earlier by the identical court docket, including that the one possibility opened to the defendant is to go to the Court docket of Enchantment to problem the rejection for the reason that Excessive Court docket can’t overrule itself.
On the request for elimination from DSS custody, Awomolo stated that, the one secure and secured setting for Kanu stays the DSS custody within the curiosity of the protection of his life.
He urged the court docket to dismiss the allegation of hindered entry to attorneys by Kanu, including that, in his utility and the supporting affidavit, Kanu didn’t identify any DSS operative hindering attorneys from accessing him or eavesdropping throughout dialog with attorneys.
