*Freedom Fighting, My Fundamental Right, Says IPOB Leader
A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has granted the Federal Government, the approval to shield identities of witnesses scheduled to testify against the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the Federal Government, through its team of prosecutors, led by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), Justice James Omotosho, while approving the application, on Tuesday, April 29, gave permission for the proposed witnesses to testify behind a screen, with their real names replaced with acronyms.
Awomolo had pleaded that identities of the witnesses needed to be protected for security reasons and in view of the serious nature of the case.
While the witnesses would be shielded from the public, they would, however, be seen by the Judge.
The application was not opposed by Kanu’s team of lawyers, led by a former attorney general of the federation and minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN).
Following the ruling, the Federal Government opened its case against Kanu by presenting its first witness, who was simply identified as PWAAA.
Kanu, whose trial started afresh after the reassignment of his case-file to Justice Omotosho, had earlier pleaded not guilty to a seven-count treasonable felony charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.
Justice Binta Nyako, who previously handled the trial, recused herself after she was accused of bias by the defendant.
Meanwhile, Kanu has insisted that his fight for the emancipation of the Southeast, South-South and parts of Benue and Kogi states is his fundamental right and not terrorism, as alleged by government.
The IPOB leader, in his statement to operatives of the Department of the State Service (DSS) in Lagos on October 15, 2015, claimed that freedom fighting is not a crime in any part of the world, including Nigeria, because it is a fundamental right.
In the statement read out in the open court on Tuesday, and admitted as exhibit, the detained Biafra nation agitator said he was interrogated by the DSS without the presence of his lawyer, as required by law.
He claimed not to be involved in any violence in any part of the country, because he has not been linked with anyone.
The statement was brought to court by DSS operatives following Awomolo’s application that it should be read in the open court, which was not objected by Kanu’s legal team.
The statement was read by a DSS operative, who is testifying as government Prosecution Witness (PWAAA).
Apart from the statement, the video recordings of Kanu’s interrogations were played in the open court due to no objection from Kanu’s legal team.
Apart from the statement and the video clips, which were admitted as exhibits by Justice Omotosho, four suite cases that contained various items, including personal belongings of the defendant, especially the Biafra radio equipment, recovered in the hotel room where Kanu was arrested on October 15, 2015, were also brought to court and admitted as exhibits.
In the statement and video clips, Kanu admitted establishing Radio Biafra in London, where it was registered, as well as not registering it with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) because there was no need for it.
