Court adjourns Kanu’s trial as Kanu is Absent for re-arraignment
The jailed leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, is scheduled to be re-arrested on Monday, according to the Federal Government, but he has allegedly refused to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Kanu is being held by the Department of State Service (DSS) and is being charged with 7 further counts of terrorism.
The IPOB leader refused to be taken before the court for a trial, according to a team of government prosecutors led by the Director of Public Prosecution, Mr. M.B. Abubakar.
After the case was called, Justice Nyako asked about the defendants’ whereabouts.
“My Lord, I realize the defendant chose not to appear in court today.
“The defendant was informed of this sitting as of last week, and he made no objections. However, I learned that the defendant woke up and decided not to appear in court when I phoned the office this morning.
All appeals and entreaties were made, but the government’s attorney notified the court that the defendant declined to appear.
The head of Kanu’s defense team, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, however, told the court that he found the FG’s accusation odd.
“My lord, this is completely surprising to me because this guy has never concealed his desire to be in court all the time. The defendant even stated that he would want to be present in court for the hearing of all the matters in the procedures that we filed with the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court, according to Ozekhome, SAN.
He also informed the trial court of the Court of Appeal’s decision to dismiss his client’s 15-count complaint from the FG and clear him of all charges.
Ozekhome argued that it would be preferable for the case to be adjourned sine die because FG had petitioned the Supreme Court to set aside the verdict and his client was also contesting the order that stopped the execution of the judgment (indefinitely).
Additionally, he informed the court that the new charge was not served on his client.
“We haven’t even received a copy of the charge; we only learned about it on social media. We found out this morning that it had been added to the cause list, so I figured my erudite buddy would take the floor and announce that he was withdrawing it in light of the current Appeal Court ruling.
We are shocked because this is a misuse of the legal system, said Ozekhome. The DPPF, Mr. Abubakar, stated that he was not against a postponement so that the Supreme Court could decide the appeals that were pending before it. Trial Justice Nyako, therefore, decided to postpone the case indefinitely.
