Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has again asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to quash all federal government’s terrorism charges against him, pleading not guilty to any of them, even more so to the fresh amended 15-count treasonable felony charge preferred against him by the government.
Attacking the competence of the charges at the resumption of his trial today in the court presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, Kanu said he was innocent of all the allegations contained in the fresh counts, adding, through his lead counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, that some counts in the amended charge were similar.
Consequently, the IPOB leader asked the court to quash the charges and set him free.
But, soon after his plea of not guilty, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, told the court that he was ready to proceed with the trial, adding that he brought two witnesses to testify against Mazi Kanu.
However, in response, Ozekhome told the court that he had on Tuesday (yesterday, January 18) evening filed a 43-page preliminary objections to the charges, seeking that they be quashed and struck out without the matter proceeding to trial.
“We are further asking that the Defendant be discharged and acquitted as there is nothing in this charge. It has no basis at all,” Ozekhome declared, adding: “We also have a motion requesting the court to grant bail to the defendant.”
On his part, the prosecution counsel, Labaran, argued that Kanu’s two applications were not ripe for hearing, stressing that he would require time to go through them so as to be able to respond.
“In essence, business of the day cannot be allowed to be truncated by these applications,” he argued.
In a brief ruling, Justice Nyako noted that since Kanu’s first application is challenging the propriety of his trial as well as competence of the charge against him, the court ought to hear it first.
“As for the second motion (on the issue of bail), I don’t even want to talk about it, at least not at this stage,” Justice Nyako held.
The court subsequently adjourned till February 16 to hear the pending application.
Earlier, the Federal Government had moved bags of documentary evidence likely to be used against Kanu into the courtroom as heavy security heralded his arraignment.
Also electronic equipment comprising various cameras have been brought to court and being inspected by the lead counsel to the federal government Mr. Shuaib Magaji Labaran.
In the meantime, contrary to the order of the judge, the IPOB leader was brought to court today by the Department of State Security Service(DSS) in the same Fendi designer clothes Justice Nyako said should be changed.
Also, family members of the Biafran leader, including a nursing mother were allowed into the court room.
A representative of the British High Commissioner billed to watch the trial for the United Kingdom was also allowed into the court room.
Justice Nyako had yesterday ordered the Department of State Services (DSS), to allow Kanu to have a change of clothes.
“I don’t want to see him in this clothes again. This one is almost off-white. Also make sure that you allow him to exercise and give him a good mattress,” Justice Nyako had ordered.
When the matter was brought up today, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Labaran, told the court that Kanu was the one who chose to wear his designer Fendi clothes.
He said: “My lord, based on your order yesterday, we provided the Defendant with a new Orthopedic mattress, pillows and blankets.
“As for his appearance, he chose to wear this particular one because he said that it is designers”.
But countering the government’s lawyer’s claims, Kanu’s lead counsel, Chief Ozekhome told the court that it was not true that his client insisted on wearing his designer clothes.
“My lord what happened was that by the time proceedings ended yesterday, and because it was not his visiting day, we were not able to pass to him some clothes we obtained for him,” Ozekhome said. “We even discussed it with him this morning and he said that on the next visiting day, he would want to have the new clothes.”
He, however, commended the DSS for providing the IPOB leader with new mattress and pillows.
“I want to commend the DSS and the Court for ensuring that it was done,” Ozekhome said.
Before allowing Kanu to be re-arraigned, Justice Nyako reiterated her demand for the Defendant to have a change of clothes.
There was heavy security as a combined team of armed security operatives cordoned off the roads leading to the premises of the Federal High Court complex.
As early as 6:00am, a detachment of security personnel had been deployed around the court premises.