Justice Mohammed Exempts Self From Hearing Fresh Charges Against Ipob Leader

BEVERLY HILLS, December 23, (THEWILL) – Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court Abuja has exempted himself from hearing the fresh six-count charges filed by the Federal Government against the embattled leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu

The judge, who announced the decision on Wednesday, after the Radio Biafra operator objected to the case, said that it was needless since the federal government had repeatedly disobeyed previous court rulings.

Kanu was charged before the court, alongside two others, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi in a fresh six-count charge of treason and managing the affairs of 'an unlawful society.' He is being accused of plotting to split Nigeria, by creating a Biafra Republic with South-east, South-south states, and parts of Kogi and Benue states, as component units.

While being arraigned before Justice Mohammed on Wednesday, Kanu told the court before commencement of the prosecution's plea that he preferred being held in the detention, than subjecting himself to a trial, the outcome of which will not be respected. He said his previous trials had various outcomes that were abused or neglected by the office of the Department of State Services, DSS.

Counsel to the prosecution, who is also the Federal Director of Prosecution, office of the Attorney General, Mohamed Diri, told the court that based on section 396 (2) of the constitution, the defendant had no right to object to being tried by the court until after the plea is heard. However, Justice Mohammed who said he was opting out of the case also countered the prosecution counsels, saying that the IPOB leader had the right to reject the trial, “after all justice is rooted on confidence,” he added.

“If any of the parties has no confidence in the court, he has the right to say so”, Justice Mohammed ruled, noting that the prosecution would have done the same thing if they were in Kanu's shoes.

“Assuming it was the prosecution, if they had no confidence in the court of jurisdiction; would they not have done so?” he asked, ruling that “I hereby remit the case file to the honourable chief judge of this court to reassign it.”