Court Adjourns Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial Indefinitely

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, adjourned indefinitely the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Mr Kanu is being prosecuted on terrorism and treasonable felony charges before Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Mrs Nyako had dismissed eight of the 15 counts of terrorism charges filed against Mr Kanu by the federal government.

But the IPOB leader appealed Mrs Nyako’s ruling sustaining six of the charges.

Delivering judgement in Mr Kanu’s appeal, the Court of Appeal on 13 October, dismissed the remaining six-count charge, ordering the government to immediately free the separatist leader.

African Examiner earlier reported that, at the resumed hearing in Mr Kanu’s trial on Monday, the State Security Service (SSS), the agency holding him in custody, told the trial judge that the IPOB leader refused to appear in court.

Also at the high court on Monday, Mr Kanu’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, gave a detailed report of the outcome of the IPOB leader’s appeals at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Mr Ozekhome informed the judge of the appellate court’s dismissal of the six-count charge and the prosecution’s appeal against the verdict at the apex court.

In his response, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, confirmed Mr Ozekhome’s account of the appellate proceedings.

Meanwhile, two other suits involving Mr Kanu came up before the judge. The cases bordered on a fresh set of charges and fundamental rights enforcement of the IPOB leader.

Due to the pendency of the appeals at the Supreme Court, Mrs Nyako adjourned the three suits indefinitely to await the decision of the apex court.