*Cabinets plan to name Uzodimma, Wike, Malami, Sanwo-Olu, others as witnesses
*… as court docket shifts case to Nov 4
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, ABUJA
The continued trial of the detained chief of the Indigenous Folks of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, took a brand new twist on Monday, as he made a volte-face on his earlier choice to name witnesses to defend the seven-count terrorism-related cost the Federal Authorities most popular towards him.
On the resumed proceedings on the case, Kanu, who elected to defend himself after he disengaged his workforce of attorneys, adduced causes earlier than the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja, why he wouldn’t open his defence to the cost.
Addressing the court docket from the dock, the embattled IPOB chief maintained that, having gone via the case file, he found that there isn’t a legitimate cost to warrant his defence.
He contended that since he had been subjected to an illegal trial based mostly on an invalid cost, there could be no want for him to supply any explanations or defend himself via the proof of witnesses.
Consequently, he shelved his preliminary request for the court docket to difficulty summons to compel sure individuals to seem as his witnesses within the case.
Kanu, who has been in detention since 2021, had in a movement he personally signed and filed earlier than the court docket, named a number of people that included serving Governors, Ministers, ex-Governors and Safety Chiefs, among the many 23 individuals he intends to provide as his witnesses.
Describing them as very important and compellable witnesses in his case, Kanu, urged the court docket to grant him a 90-day interval to allow him to open and conclude his defence.
He argued that increasing the preliminary six-day interval the court docket gave him to conclude his defence has turn into obligatory in view of the quantity and standing of the witnesses he intends to provide to offer proof within the case.
Witnesses
Among the many proposed witnesses within the principal record he submitted earlier than the court docket, included the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma; that of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike; the fast previous Legal professional Normal of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; in addition to a former Chief of Military Employees, Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd).
Others are the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; the fast previous Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd); fast previous Director-Normal of the Nationwide Intelligence Company, NIA, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; in addition to the previous Director-Normal of the Division of State Companies, DSS, Yusuf Bichi.
Within the movement dated October 21 and marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, Kanu equally hinted that he would name different individuals whose names weren’t on the record he submitted.
Nevertheless, he ditched the plan on Monday, a improvement that led the court docket to adjourn the matter until November 5, 5 and 6 for the adoption of ultimate written addresses.
In the meantime, earlier than the case was adjourned, trial Justice James Omotosho implored the IPOB chief to seek the advice of consultants in prison legislation to elucidate the implications of his choice.
Will probably be recalled that the court docket had earlier rejected a no-case-submission that Kanu filed to be discharged and acquitted.
The court docket dismissed his rivalry that the totality of proof the prosecution tendered within the matter failed to determine a prima facie case towards him.
Kanu argued that the 5 witnesses the federal authorities dropped at testify earlier than the court docket did not show that he dedicated any offence that’s recognized to legislation.
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