Nnamdi Kanu: FG Seeks Court Protection For Witnesses

The Federal Government on Tuesday asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to allow the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to be done out of public glare.

Mohammed Diri, the prosecution counsel filed an application filed before the Court presided over by Justice James Tsoho asking for protection of witnesses in the case.Diri told the court that some of the witnesses already lined up to prove the case of treasonable felony against the Kanu and his co accused are already complaining of intimidation.

However, Chuks Muoma, the lead counsel to Kanu and his two co accused opposed the application.He urged the court to dismiss the application by the prosecution seeking protection of the witnesses due to the nature of the case and that the defendants be trial secretly.

The defence counsel told the court that the defendants are not facing terrorism charges and therefore the question of facing secret trial should not arise.
On his part, the defence counsel also asked the court to order the Department of State Services (DSS) to release the money seized from Kanu when he was arrested as well as his Nigerian and British passports.

He added that since bail has been denied the defendants and they are in prison, they can not escape or run away.
Diri, who opposed the request told the court that all the items being held by the prosecution are relevant to case.

According to him, the defence counsel ought to have directed the application to the Attorney General of the Federation who has the power to release those exhibits and not the court.

“The fact that Kanu is before this court today indicated that he sneaked into the country without using both his British and International passport.”
He therefore asked the court to dismiss and discountenance the application seeking for the release of evidence.

In his ruling, Justice Tosho dismissed the application for lack of merit. He therefore adjourned the case to 19 February.

The trial of leader of IPOB and two others arraigned with him on charges of treasonable felony by the Federal Government had began on a dramatic note amidst tight security at Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday morning.

Kanu, on arrival at the court from Kuje prison where he was ordered to be remanded by the court, had refused to come down of the prison vehicle or allow the warders take off the handcuffs he was brought to court in.

The IPOB leader had insisted that he will go inside the courtroom with the handcuffs, so that the Judge can see the way he was brought in when the trial began.

He actually went into the court with the handcuffs and resisted attempts by warders to remove it before the commencement of the trial.
But his lawyer’s intervention resolved the dispute that may have led to the delay in the commencement of the trial.

Justice James Tshoho of Federal High Court, Abuja division had on Friday, 29 January denied Kanu and his two co accused bail.
He ordered them to be remanded in prison custody pending the outcome of his trial.

The Judge had based the denial of bail on the fact that the offences the IPOB leader were charged with borders on national security.

He also said Kanu’s possession of dual citizenship enhances his possibility of escaping from Nigeria if granted bail, as argued by the prosecution counsel.
The Judge however, ordered an accelerated hearing of his case as he adjourned trial till February 9, 10, 11 and 12.

culled:pmnews

*Anytime i do a post on the trial of Nnamdi Kanu,some people go under anonymous to cuss me out or send hate mails to me for not supporting the Biafran move...why should i?Am i from Biafra?..I am from Southern Nigeria,ISOKO to be precise,we are minority group and we are not trouble makers.

I will NEVER give my voice to anyone or anything that has championed a process that has led to the loss of lives and property.cuss me out all you want,this is just a post.

Anyone who plays a song should be ready to dance to its tune,Yanga dey sleep,trouble go wake am!

The real leader of the Biafran people was Ojukwu and before he died i didnt read anywhere that he said anyone should take over from him or draw blood.

The Biafran people are a peace loving people and i am sure they are not in support of a bloody secession from Nigeria as a Country.