Court adjourns trial till Feb. 16, as Kanu pleads not guilty to FG’s amended 15-count charge

Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ to the controversial amended 15-counted charge brought against him by the Nigerian Government at the resumed sitting of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja, Wednesday.

The trial as earlier fixed for last Tuesday, but was adjourned on the request of the defendant’s legal team which claimed that the prosecutor filed the amended charges with barely 24 hours notice to it.

Newly-appointed Lead defence lawyer, Mike Ozekhome SAN had sought time to enable his team study the amended 15-count charge filed by the prosecution on January 17, 2022, even as he accused the prosecution of ‘ambushing’ the defence with the amended charges.

Ozekhome claimed that the proof of evidence served on the defence by the prosecution was not legible enough to enable them to know what constitutes the fresh charge.

However, Lead prosecuting lawyer, Magaji Labaran, faulted the defence’s claim that the amended charge was an ambush, while also denying the defence’s claim of Kanu not being properly fed, allowed to practise his religion or allowed free access to his family members.

He, however, did not object to the defence’s request for an adjournment following which the judge, Justice Binta Nyako, adjourned till January 19 for arraignment on the amended charge.

At the resumed hearing, Wednesday, after presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako read out the amended charge, Kanu pleaded not guilty.

Justice Nyako adjourned the case till February 16.

The controversial amended 15-count charge was filed on last Friday at the Federal High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Abuja.

The amended charge sheet was signed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, M.B Abubakar, on behalf of the Attorney-General (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami.

Justice Binta Nyako had at the last court sitting fixed Tuesday, January 18, to hear pending applications, including bail and acquittal filed by Kanu’s legal team.

It would be recalled that Federal Government had filed an amended seven-count charge against Nnamdi Kanu, from the original five, while the Federal High Court issued a hearing notice for Thursday, October 21.

The Notice titled; ‘Federal Republic of Nigeria Versus Nnamdi Kanu,’ with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/15, was served on Kanu’s lead counsel in his legal team, Barr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor and the prosecuting lawyer, Shuaibu Labaran.

Federal Government had amended the original five charges against him raising them to seven counts which bordered on treasonable felony and terrorism.

Meanwhile, there was mild drama during Wednesday’s court session as the detained activist appeared in court sporting the same outfit as he was wore during Tuesday’s hearing, contrary to the order by Justice Nyako, that the defendant be allowed access to new wardrobe.

When the matter was called up, the prosecution counsel, Shuaibu Labaran, told the court that he (Kanu) opted to wear his designer clothes, adding that the Department of State Security (DSS) had provided him with a new Orthopedic mattress, pillows, and blankets.

Responding, Kanu’s lead counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), told the court that it was not true that his client insisted on wearing his designer clothes as it was not his visiting day on Tuesday, therefore, fresh clothes couldn’t be passed to him.

He added that clothes will be passed to him on his next visiting day. However, he commended the DSS for providing the IPOB leader with new mattresses and pillows.