Treason trial against Biafra Zionists: Judge bows to pressure, disqualifies self
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By Austin Ogwuda, Enugu/vanguard

THE Federal high court 2, Enugu presided over by Justice D.V. Agishi of the Federal high court Enugu, yesterday disqualified itself from the continued trial of the eleven members of pro-Biafra group, Biafra Zionists Federation (BZF) facing treason trial before the court.

When the case was called up yesterday, Justice Agishi said that "in view of the fact the accused have accused me of bias, the case file has been transferred to the Chief judge of the Federal high court to assign the case to another judge".

The accused persons led a legal practitioner, Mr. Benjamin Onwuka had earlier before yesterday's sitting, addressed a letter to the Chief Judge of the Federal High court Abuja, seeking for transfer of the case from the court.

In that letter dated 23th of June 2015, reference number OAO/1/6/15, whcih was signed by a lawyer from Omotayo & Associates chambers in Enugu, Mr. B.N. Chukwu gave a vivid account of what led to the demand for the transfer of the case.

The eight-paragraph letter reads:

*Our clients were arraigned before the Honourable Court on the 19th day of November 2014 and charged for conspiracy and treason.

*That on the 19th day of May 2015, after the cross examination of PW3, the prosecuting counsel made application to the court pursuant to Section 203 of the Criminal Procedure Act to bar the members of the public from subsequent hearing in the matter in order to bring in some witnesses.

The defence counsel opposed the application on the ground that the said section is subject section 204 and 223 of the Criminal Procedure Act and section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

On the 10th day of June 2015, the court delivered its ruling and granted the application excluding the members of the public and the press from subsequent hearing of the case.

Our clients in the open court raised up their hands and when granted leave to speak by the court observed that the Judge was biased against them since the trial started as the Lordship had granted all applications made by the prosecution including the last one barring the public from the trial without legal authority or basis

Our clients maintained that they no longer have confidence in the Judge and would not like their trial to continue before the court because the court with his disposition has already made up his mind to convict them before hearing their testimony.

Our clients have even instructed us to withdraw our appearance from the trial because they believe that they cannot get justice under such secret trial procedure as that would infringe on their legal and constituted right to fair hearing.

We do not have personal grievances with the Learned Judge but where the accused persons alleged bias or lack of confidence on the trial Judge, it is in the interest of justice that the judge disqualifies himself from the trial and transfer the case to the registry for re-assignment to another judge.

In view of the forgoing, we humbly urge your Lordship in your wisdom to in the interest of justice urgently transfer this case to another judge

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Of course he had to.

Ben Onwuka, we coming for you and your men, all of them.

IPOB will bring you guys out, this year, we succeeded to bring u back to Enugu from Abuja, now we will intensify pressure on all the judges, use all propaganda against them.

Besides, what you did is not treasonable offence. Even Nigeria has self-determination embedded in its laws.


Hold on guys, we have the weapon, TRUTH.

Since you guys are in prison, Biafra is on the lips of everyone, even Buhari himself.

Biafra bu agbara... Aha Di egwu.... Obodo nke owuwa anyanwu...

To the extent your leaders will love to support this noble course.

Whenever they remember their assets and other properties up north, they will even be the ones to raise the barrel.