₦airaland Forum

Justice John Tsoho of the federal high court, Abuja, has ruled against the application of the federal government to mask its witnesses in the trial of Nnamdi Kanu‎, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and director of Radio Biafra.

Tsoho held that masking the witnesses would shield their demeanour from the court.‎

“There is no gain saying that demeanour of witnesses is very crucial in a trial,” he said.

He also held that sufficient particulars had not been provided by the prosecution to show that the witnesses were being threatened. ‎

Tsoho stated that the Department of State Services (DSS) had already disclosed the names of its witnesses and addresses, indicating that they reside in Lagos, Enugu and Port Harcourt, away from the locality of Kanu.‎

“It is not correct therefore to assert that many of the witnesses come from the accused persons location,” he said.

However, he ruled that names and addresses of the witnesses would not be made public during the trial.‎

He thereafter adjourn the case to March 7 and 11‎ for trial.
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Earlier on Friday, Kanu had opposed the application of the federal government to protect the identities of witnesses in his trial, describing them as masquerades.

As the hearing of the application began, David Kaswe, counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), the prosecution, informed Justice John Tsoho of the federal high court, Abuja, that there was a possibility for witnesses to refuse testifying against Kanu, without protection.‬

‪The prosecution emphasised that it was important that witnesses be protected in the trial, explaining that the crux of the application was to seek the protection of witnesses, and not to cause a secret trial.

‪But Chuks Muoma (SAN), counsel to Kanu, argued that what the prosecution was asking for was a secret trial, and prayed the court to draw a distinction between a closed trial and protection of witnesses.

‪He added that the application implied that masked individuals would be testifying before the court.‬

‪However, the prosecution countered his argument, saying that most of the witnesses were civilians who reside in the location of the accused person, and as such vulnerable to influence.‪”

We also ask that these press men will not make public identities and residential locations of these witnesses,”‬ he said.

‪But Muoma, citing section 364 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), said that there was no provision for “masquerades” to testify as witnesses in a case as such as that of Kanu.‬

He explained that protection of witnesses could only be applied to terrorism cases, and not to that of his client, who is facing charges of treasonable felony.”

An accused person under our jurisprudence must be confronted with his accusers eyeball to eyeball,”‬ he said. ‪”My lord, it is compatible and common sense with jurisprudence that you cannot accuse someone in the streets in public and try him in the bedroom.” ‪

Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), says he is not ready for trial until the federal government complies with an order of the federal high court granting him bail. In November 2015, Justice Adeniyi Ademola had granted Dasuki bail, but the Department of State Services (DSS) rearrested him immediately after his release from Kuje prison. Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN), counsel to the DSS, had announced to the court on Tuesday that the prosecution was ready for trial to commence.
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But Joseph Daodu, counsel to Dasuki, said that the defence counsel was not ready to proceed with the trial because the federal government was still keeping the accused person in detention despite an order of the court granting him bail. “We cannot be ready for trial until the defendant enjoys his constitutional rights,” he said.

“We apply that we should be given time to prepare the defence. The conduct of the prosecution has not enabled him to enjoy his constitutional rights. “The worst is that for about seven weeks we do not know where he is. Any of us here who proceeds to defend an accused person in this circumstance may lose his license of practice.”

However, Okpeseyi argued that the prosecution was not stopping Dasuki from enjoying his freedom. He said that the accused person was not being allegedly held for the charges before the court. He therefore asked the court to reject the request for adjournment and to commence trial. But the court adjourned to March 3 for hearing of a motion to discharge Dasuki.

Dasuki is facing a four-count charge of money laundering and illegal possession of firearms brought against him by the DSS. He is also facing multiple counts of laundering money at the federal capital territory (FCT) high court, Abuja.

Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, has revealed that his acceptance to serve the country cost him “at least a million dollars every year”.

Speaking in Abuja on Sunday, Kachikwu said although his former job was more rewarding financially, he decided to serve Nigeria for the love of his fatherland.

He said all hands must be on deck to build enduring institutions that would secure the future of the country and improve on the standard of living of Nigerians.

“The call to public service for me was unique. I was vice-president of Exxon Mobil West Africa and I was suddenly called to serve,” he said.

“In serving, I lose a lot of money, if not at least a million dollars every year by virtue of being a minister, but the thing is, I am directed by the voice of God.

“I believe that this country needs help. I believe that it is about time we began to perform for the young and upcoming. I believe that the sheer capacity of this country is unimaginable.

“I do not know of any country in the world with our population, our resources, our intellect, our flamboyance, our family nexus, everything is together.”

Kachikwu said with the right leadership, the current economic crunch in Nigeria could be surmounted.

He said Nigerians would not feel the impact of the challenges posed by drop in the price of oil if government properly harnessed other natural resources.

“Everything in this country is together; the only thing that is not together is leadership and in God’s name; we are bound to change that,” he said.

“In every little space that you have, and in my own case petroleum, you have to make an absolute change and so I am not worried about price of oil.

“It can be five dollar for all I care. I am worried about the direction of the industry; I am worried about changing things the way they have never done before.

“I am worried about creating opportunities that exist; I am worried about improving the standards of living; I am worried about encouraging opportunities in the sector. I am worried about opening up those opportunities that have existed for years.”

Kachikwu, who is also the group managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), called on Nigerians to embrace the new philosophy of the present administration geared towards charting a new course for the country.

He asked the people to bury their differences and contribute their quota to the development of the country.

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti, has queried the source of former president Olusegun Obansanjo’s wealth, claiming that he siphoned public funds. Speaking in an interview with Osasu Igbinedion on The Osasu Show, Fayose also said President Muhammadu Buhari is clueless about the state of Nigeria’s economy. “I am the longest-serving governor, I’ve served in Obasanjo’s administration. I told everybody, when Obasanjo left prison, did he declare his assets? The library now today, where did the money come from,” he asked.

“His house that he built in Abeokuta, where did the money come from? Even Buhari himself, he declared cattle herds and mud houses, he said he doesn’t have money. From which account did the money for the campaign come from? “We are fooling ourselves, because he’s in power today, to say he’s the one prosecuting; somebody else might be there tomorrow. It’s unfortunate that men of honour of yesterday are quiet today.”

NOT AFRAID OF BUHARI

He said Obasanjo shared money to senators from his state during his failed third-term plan, adding that he is a veteran who cannot be scared of Buhari’s anti-corruption war. “During the third-term agenda that money was given to senators and reps, they were given in my state.

It is good to Obasanjo to come to the television every day and celebrate himself, or go to prostrate at the villa. Let me tell you expressly, the truth would find all of us out at some point.” Quoting Hebrews 13:6, Fayose said he could not be afraid of whatever Buhari could do to him, saying: “…because we have God, we fear not what man would do to us.” Fayose called on Buhari to “stop the noise about corruption” and concentrate on the economy,” saying the president seems to have no plan for diversification while investing billions in the search for oil in the north.

“Last month, I got N1.3 billion; my wage bill is N2.6 billion, asides security, electricity, water and basic essential services to the people. Do I use this money for diversification at the expense of the people? No, I can’t. It’s not impossible, it’s an uphill task. “My first counsel to the federal government is that he should stop the noise about corruption, he should concentrate on the economy. Rebuild this economy. “You want to diversify, you’re still putting over N100 billion, over N150 billion to exploring oil in the north. It shows a leader that is sectional. When we want to diversify, we diversify the country’s economy, not an economy that is sectional.

“If anybody is telling you he can create any jobs in this economy, he is lying. I don’t want to come before this camera and tell Nigerians lies. My wings are clipped financially.”

TREE-PLANTING IN EKITI

“The only thing I’m trying to do in Ekiti is to make sure I plan trees everywhere, economic trees; in 10 years it would become of great benefit. It is difficult for me to come before the camera to start telling you I’m creating jobs.” He said he had been paying one-month salaries with allocations from two months: “In my prediction, I said it that Buhari does not have clue, he’s still in an analogue stage, he does not have clue about the economy of Nigeria.

I’m saying it expressly; the president does not understand (the) economy. “If you understand the economy, you can do everything simultaneously, without rocking the boat of the whole country. You go out of the country to tell the world your country is corrupt, you destroy your own people. Who would come and do business with them?