Court Fixes Nov 20 For Judgment In Kanu’s Trial

A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja, on Friday, November 7, fixed Thursday, November 20, for the delivery of judgment in the terrorism trial of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Justice James Omotosho, who announced the date while ruling on the matter after Kanu failed to open his defence, having exhausted the six days allocated to him by the court to present his case, held that since Kanu failed to utilise the opportunity granted to him to conduct his defence, he could not claim to have been denied his constitutionally guaranteed right to a fair hearing.
Kanu had earlier moved a motion challenging his trial on the grounds that terrorism was no longer an offence in Nigeria, insisting the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act had been repealed, and as such there was no valid case against him, urging the court to dismiss the charges and allow him to go home free.
Recall that Justice Omotosho had given Kanu up to November 5 to defend the terrorism charges against him or waive his right to do so, following the IPOB leader’s failure, for the fourth day, to enter his defence, after the prosecution closed its case and the court overruled his no-case submission.
Justice Omotosho said should Kanu fail to open his defence on November 5, he would be deemed to have waived his right to do so.
The court had, on October 27, adjourned until November 4, for Kanu to either file his final written address or open his defence, but on the adjourned date, the embattled Biafra agitator who conducted his case by himself, said he had not filed any final written address, but filed a motion and a supporting affidavit.
Kanu said he would not enter any defence, because he was convinced that there was no valid charge, known to any extant law, that was pending against him, threatening not to return to detention, even as he demanded that he should be set free and allowed to go home immediately.
Responding, prosecuting lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), faulted the competence of the fresh court documents filed by Kanu, arguing that they were not properly filed.
Awomolo urged the court to desist from further indulging the defendant, who he claimed was only interested in wasting the court’s time, and to deem the documents he (Kanu) recently filed as his final written address and so order parties to adopt the final addresses and adjourn for judgment.
However, Justice Omotosho ruled that the documents were in order and would be considered at the time of judgment.
Kanu, a dual citizen of Nigeria and Britain, was arraigned on a seven-count terrorism-related charges by the Federal Government since 2015, and has been in detention since he was arrested and repatriated for Kenya, over alleged violent secessionist campaigns for the independence of the Southeast, otherwise known as Biafra.
But he has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, even challenging what he termed his illegal arrest and extradition from Kenya.
The prosecution had closed its case in June after calling five witnesses, while Kanu filed a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution failed to provide any credible evidence against him to warrant putting forward any defence.
His submition was, however, dismissed in September, with the Judge ruling that he had a case to answer and should enter his defence.
The trial had suffered several adjournments.