The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has struck out the amended six-count treasonable felony charge the Federal Government preferred against the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Trial Justice Binta Nyako struck out the charge after it was withdrawn by the Prosecution counsel, Mr. K. E. Kaswe.
Kaswe, who is from the Federal Ministry of Justice, withdrew the charge after Kanu’s team of lawyers led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, accused Federal Government of deliberately frustrating the speedy determination of the case.
Chief Ozekhome noted that the amended charge was served on him, barely fourty-eight hours to the court proceeding.
He maintained that Federal Government introduced fresh issues in the amended charge, including additional documents and proof of evidence that mentioned Kanu’s lawyers, Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Maxwell Opara, which was not originally attached to the case.
Chief Ozekhome said it was wrong for the Prosecution to insist on proceeding with trial without rearraigning the defendant first.
Owing to Ozekhome’s contention, the Federal Government’s lawyer, Kaswe, applied to withdraw the amended charge to enable the matter to proceed on trial.
However, the court did not grant Kanu’s bail application.
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