Court orders DSS to produce Biafra agitator, Kanu

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AN Abuja Magistrate Court yesterday ordered the Department of the State Security (DSS) to produce the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu before it on November 23, 2015 for his trial on criminal charges preferred against him by the Federal Government.

When the charge was called up, prosecution counsel, Moses Idakwo told the court that the accused was not brought to court because the business of the day was supposed to be a hearing of the defence counsel’s preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court on the charge.

Idakwo submitted that as soon as the preliminary objection was resolved, the DSS will produce the accused in court.
But the submission did not resonate with Magistrate Usman, who was quick to remind him of a subsisting order he made on October 23, 2015 that the accused be brought to court ‎.

Usman ruled that the accused person cannot be absent in court on the ground of an interlocutory application, declaring that no trial can continue in a criminal case in the absence of the accused except under special and compelling circumstances.

Consequently, he directed the prosecutor to ensure that the accused is produced in court on November 23.
Meanwhile, a melodrama also played out as two legal practitioners, Mr. Gabriel Egbule and Vincent Ezechukwu Obete engaged themselves in war of words over who was to represent the accused.

Egbule, who first announced his appearance informed the court that he represented the accuse on October 19 when he was first .
He produced a letter which he claimed was written by the next –of-kin‎ of the accused appointing him his lawyer.

Similarly, Obete produced a letter from the Indigenous People of Biafra, signed by the deputy director, Alphonsus Mefor, appointing him as counsel.
Obete also produced another letter, dated October 16 from the father of the accused, Eze Kanu of Afara-Ukwu kingdom, also appointing him as counsel to defend his son.

Usman who intervened in the issue said that on October 19 when Kanu was brought before him, the accused told the court that he had no lawyer prompting Mr. Gabriel Egbule to fill the gap.
However, he told the two lawyers that the accused would on November 23, determine his own lawyer.

Kanu is standing trial on Criminal conspiracy, managing and belonging to an unlawful society and criminal intimidation contrary to Section 97, 97B and 397 of the penal code.

He was alleged to have proclaimed himself as the leader of the Republic of Biafra and established a Radio Biafra.
Kanu was also alleged to have appointed himself Commander of the Loyal Forces of Biafra and was broadcasting to the whole world the dire consequences the government and people of Nigeria will suffer should they attempt to hinder the actualization of the Republic of Biafra.

Source: TheGuardian