The federal government has withdrawn an amended six-count
treasonable felony charge filed against Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous
People of Biafra (IPOB).
The amendment comes on the day fixed to hear an application
for Kanu’s bail.
In the amended charge, the federal government listed some
lawyers representing the IPOB leader, including Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Maxwell
Opara, as accomplices of the defendant.
The federal government alleged that the said lawyers, were
constantly in contact with Kanu after he jumped bail and fled the country.
Kanu who was re-arrested abroad and brought back to Nigeria
was re-arraigned on a 15-count charge of treasonable felony charge preferred
against him.
However, Binta Nyako, the judge, had on April 8, struck out
eight out of the 15-count charge.
Nyako held that the charges were mere repetitions that did
not disclose any offence that could be sustained by the proof of evidence
before the court.
At the resumed court session on Wednesday, the judge refused
to grant bail to the defendant.
Shortly after, Mike Ozekhome, Kanu’s lead counsel, raised
the issue of the amended charge before the court, adding that this is the
seventh amendment by the prosecution.
Responding, K.E Kaswe, prosecution counsel, said the trial
can go on pending when the amended charge is adopted.
He noted that the charges in the amendment are not different
from the previous charge.
“We are not
substituting a charge. They are not new charges,” he said.
Interjecting, Ozekhome, said: “The new amended charge, they
attached a lot of new pieces of evidence and documents. The pictures of lawyers
waiting to have a meeting with the defendant which they took with their hidden
cameras.”
The judge, however, noted that she has taken judicial notice
of the amended charge and that trial cannot continue on the previous charge.
Consequently, the prosecution applied to withdraw the
amended charge and it was struck out.
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