Kanu, Cohorts Denied Bail

Fri, Jan 29, 2016
By publisher
2 MIN READ

BREAKING NEWS, Political Briefs

– 

A FEDERAL high court in Abuja has denied bail to Nnmadi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder of Radio Biafra, and his alleged two cohorts.

Kanu and two others are being prosecuted for treasonable felony and other offences bordering on their agitation for secession ‎of the Republic of Biafra from Nigeria.

‎Justice John Tsoho, while rejecting the accused persons’ application for bail on Friday January 29, said that they were not entitled to bail as they failed to show that they would not continue to commit the alleged crime for which they were being prosecuted.

Tsoho also agreed with Mohammed Diri, the prosecuting counsel, who had opposed the bail application, that the accused were likely to interfere with and intimidate prosecuting witnesses.

The judge similarly ruled that contrary to the contention by defence lawyers, the charges preferred against the accused were not trumped up.

The court held that rather than contradict the allegations levelled against the accused persons in the counter-affidavit filed by the prosecution in opposition to their bail application, the defendants only went on to insist that the agitation for the Republic of Biafra was within their right.

The judge also ruled that Kanu’s admission that he was a dual citizen of Nigeria and Britain further heightened the possibility of him jumping bail.

He ruled that rather than grant bail to the accused person‎, he would order an accelerated hearing of the case with the possibility of hearing it on daily basis. Tsoho, therefore, ordered that the accused persons should remain in Kuje prison throughout their trial.

The case thus adjourned to February 9, 10, 11 and 12 for trial.

Kanu, David Nwawusi and Benjamin Madubugwu were being prosecuted on six counts of treasonable felony and unlawful possession of firearms preferred against them by the Federal Government.

—  Jan 29, 2016 @ 17:08 GMT

|

Tags: