Appeal Court rejects Kanu appeal

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday threw out the appeal lodged before it by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu challenging his trial by the Federal Government, reports Daily Post.

Kanu and two other pro-Biafra agitators had approached to court to challenge what they termed, strange procedure adopted in their trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Newsday reports that Kanu was appealing the ruling of Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja) which agreed with the prosecution’s request to shield its witnesses in Kanu and two others’ trial for treasonable felony.

In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-man panel of Justices of the appellate court led by Justice Abdul Aboki,  the court dismissed the defendants’ appeal as grossly lacking in merit.

The court also refused ordering the release of the defendants on bail on the ground that allegations against them are “grievous and serious”.

Reading the lead judgment, Justice Aboki held that it was not in doubt that the first defendant, Kanu, has dual citizenship, stressing that Kanu’s possession of both Nigerian and British passports increased the likelihood that he could jump bail if released from detention.

On the procedure adopted by the trial court in the case, the appellate court panel maintained that Justice Tsoho had the discretion to decide how the proceeding should be conducted.