The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, warned that it would no longer entertain any form of delay in the trial of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Trial Justice James Omotosho who noted that the case has dragged for about 10 years, slated six different dates for the Federal Government which is prosecuting Kanu on a seven-count terrorism and treasonable felony charge, to wrap up its case.
It will be recalled that Justice Omotosho took over the trial after the previous judge, Binta Nyako, who was the fourth judge to preside over the case, withdrew from the matter after she was accused of bias by the embattled IPOB leader.
Meanwhile, at the resumed proceeding on Thursday, the defendant’s legal team, led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, concluded the cross-examination of the second prosecution witness, PW-2, who gave his evidence behind a protective shield.
The witness, who is an operative of the Department of State Services, was simply identified as BBB, as the court earlier granted permission for his true name to be shielded, for security reasons.
Answering questions under re-examination, the witness maintained that the Eastern Security Network, ESN, which the defendant established as the armed wing of the IPOB, is an illegal organization that lacks the backing of the law.
Responding to questions from FG’s lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awolowo, SAN, the witness told the court that whereas the DSS regards the ESN as an unlawful group, it, however, accords recognition to operations of Amotekun in the South West region of the country.
According to the operative, Amotekun, whose members also carry arms, was formed with the support of Houses of Assembly of the six states that make up the South West region.
“My lord, while the ESN is not a registered organization recognized by law, Amotekun was established following the law passed by the respective Houses of Assembly in the affected States,” the witness added.
Earlier in the proceeding, a member of Kanu’s legal team, Mr. Paul Erokoro, tendered in evidence, a Certified True Copy, CTC, of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for victims of EndSARs and other Related Abuses and related matters.
The evidence was to dislodge the prosecution’s claim that it was Kanu that masterminded the violence and destructions that trailed the EndSARS protest in Lagos State.
Report of the panel, which was tendered from the Bar, was admitted and marked as exhibit PWUO.
Likewise, the defence team tendered a flash drive and its accompanying certificate of compliance, and they were admitted and marked as exhibits PWI and PWP, respectively.
With approval of the judge, the defence team also played a video evidence that showed public speeches that were made by the Director General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi; Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State; and a former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. T.Y. Danjuma.
In the short video clip, the DSS DG, Ajayi spoke on the need for communities to cooperate with security agencies to stem the tide of insecurity.
He concluded by stating that the fight against insecurity should not be left for security agencies alone, even as he expressed the need for communities to rise up and defend themselves against miscreants and criminals within their territory.
On his part, the Imo State Governor, Uzodinma, was seen in a video, exonerating the ESN from killings of top politicians in Orlu, blaming same on opposition politicians.
In his own speech, the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, was seen, urging citizens to rise up and defend themselves.
Gen. Danjuma, while accusing security agents of aiding and protecting criminals, said: “If you are depending on the Armed Forces to stop the killings, you will die, one-by-one.”
Trial Justice Omotosho, who noted that Kanu has spent a long time in detention, said it was the reason he ordered accelerated hearing of the case.
He, therefore, slated May 28 and 29 and June 6, 16, 18 and 19 for FG to close its case.
It will be recalled that Kanu was arrested on October 14, 2015, upon his return to the country from the United Kingdom.
Following his arraignment, the court, on April 25, 2017, granted him bail on health ground after he had spent about 18 months in detention.
Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, released from the Kuje prison.
However, midway into the trial, the IPOB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.
Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.
Owing to the development, the trial court, on June 29, 2021, remanded him in custody of DSS, where he remained till date.
On April 8, 2022, the court struck out eight out of the 15-count charge that FG preferred against him on the premise that they lacked substance.
Likewise, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s immediate release from detention even as it quashed the charge against him.
Dissatisfied with the decision, FG took the matter before the Supreme Court, even as it persuaded the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgement, pending the determination of its appeal.
While deciding the appeal, the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, vacated the judgement of the appellate court and gave FG the nod to try the IPOB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge.
VANGUARD
