₦airaland Forum

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday, asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to discharge and acquit him of the 15 criminal counts filed against him by the Federal Government.

According to him, the charges, which he denied upon arraignment, are incurably defective and have no force of law.

Besides the alleged defectiveness of the charges, he said the offences brought against him were committed in the United Kingdom and not in Nigeria.

Kanu had earlier in the day pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him at the instance of the Federal Government.

Shortly after the plea was taken, the counsel to the Federal Government, Shuaib Labaran, told the court that he was prepared to proceed with the trial of the defendant.

He informed the court that two of his witnesses were available, while some exhibits to be tendered to establish the charges of terrorism against Kanu had also been brought to court.

Labaran cited Section 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which stipulates that trial should begin after arraignment, while objection on any issue can be taken at any time along with the substantive matters.

However, Kanu’s lead counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), objected to commencement of trial.

He said his client had filed two motions on notice, one questioning the validity of the charges and the other seeking bail.

Ozekhome said the two motions were so fundamental, because one of them was challenging the competence of the charges and must be first resolved.

He stated that Kanu wanted to be discharged and acquitted without standing trial, because the charges were incurably defective and not worth being defended.

The second motion seeking for fresh bail for Kanu was filed on Tuesday and served on the prosecution on Wednesday and was considered not ripe for hearing.

Justice Binta Nyako, in a brief ruling, agreed with Ozekhome to take and determine the motion challenging the validity of the charges first.

The judge fixed February 16 for the parties to return to court to adopt their processes for and against the motion.

Kanu was then returned to the detention facility of the Department of State Services till the issue of his bail request is resolved.

The government confirmed that the DSS had provided Kanu with an orthopaedic mattress, pillows and blankets, among others, in compliance with court order.

In a related development, an Abia State High Court sitting in Umuahia and presided over by Justice Benson Anya, on Wednesday awarded the sum of N1bn to Kanu over the invasion of his home in Afara Ukwu by military personnel on September 10, 2017.

Kanu had approached the court to seek justice following the invasion of his house by soldiers after he was granted bail for treasonable felony brought against him by the Federal Government.

https://punchng.com/fg-charges-not-worth-defending-kanu-tells-court-gets-feb-date/?utm

KingArkad:
Walahi that Referee make me Laugh

How do u mean?

These guys are dominating the game fa

GeniusVincent:
Hit the like button if you are proudly Nigerian and believe so very much in our team..

I am your favourite op..

Correct your grammar first.

Ewedegubbler:
Africa should thank their stars that Osimhen didn’t make it to this tournament. He for show people pepper

What would he have done ？

These parents are Marlians.

Oga, Charity begins at home.

SlyIg:


http://www.hesgoal.com/news/95433/Guinea-Bissau_vs_Nigeria.html

Thanks dear.

Yampotatocarrot:
It's there, scroll down... That's what I'm using

Okay Thanks

What is this?

Yampotatocarrot:
Hesgoal.com...

Not there joor

PLEASE I need link to stream the match online.

Please I need link to stream the match online.

Bandit have houses.

See funny dressing.

Blake755:
U dey mind am social media don become Nafdac nd Son nawa oo 4 all this yeyebrities

All for attention.

Not under this Buhari economy.

Learned and supposedly smart people behaving dumb.
Why can't he report the water companies to Nafdac or SON for immediate investigation ?

Corolla is the best.

ZendayaColeman:
Abokîs dey watch football?


Wonders will never start

.This is hatespeech ....

God bless them for not obeying rubbish and selfish declaration.

Preparation for 2023.

Gabon is making us proud

RIP Legend.

eazisky:
I did the test just last month and it was negative, the doctor did it again to be sure and it was negative for the second time

Did you use any medication ?

Xscape1993:
Common argument. football is for fun and nothing more. Deaf and dumb human beings.

Even the whites who owns the clubs don't fight and kill over football .

The cup belongs to Nigeria.

I don't believe this news

I hope he regains freedom soon.