Embattled leader of the proscribed Indegenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, his legal team and relatives have rushed into an emergency meeting on Wednesday after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja which is hearing his case threatened to adjourn the matter “sine die” – indefinitely, if Kanu continues to stall commencement of trial.
Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor had earlier today gave some conditions to be met by the court for his client to submit to trial.
Some of the conditions were that the bail earlier granted him should be restored; he should be relocated from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and he should be allowed free access to his lawyers to enable him to prepare for his trial.
But the prosecuting lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) objected to Ejimakor’s requests, describing them as frivolous vexatious, irritating, and unmeritorious.
Justice Binta Nyako who is entertaining the matter said the case should be opened to for commencement of trial and to enable the prosecution call his witnesses, threatening to adjourn indefinitely the trial should Kanu insist on further delaying the take – off of it
Justice Nyako fixed the ruling on the requests by Kanu’s lawyer for May 20 but insisted that progress must be made in the case on Wednesday, April 17, by allowing the prosecution to open its case by calling witnesses.
The judge said: “It is either we open this trial today by prosecution calling witnesses or I adjourn this matter indefinitely till the time you are ready for trial.
“You cannot continue to hold the court to ransom. I hope you know the consequences of adjourning the trial sine die. You have to make a choice and the choice has to be for you.
“I will rise for some minutes for you to think about this and make a choice and that choice has to be made today”, Justice Nyako said shortly before standing down proceedings.”
Rattled by the court’s warning and stance, Kanu, members of his legal team, and some relatives in court dashed into emergency meeting on what next option to take.
