BREAKING: TENSION AS NNAMDI KANU REINSTATES HIS LAWYER CHUKS MUOMA (SAN), WHILE THE FEDERAL GOVT OF NIGERIA SACKS PROSECUTING COUNSEL MOHAMMED DIRI (DPP)

Monday 26 September, 2016

As we await another graceful appearance of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu alongside two other defendants, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja today, emotions and hopes are set on a higher grid, Biafrans all over the world are high on expectations for a good turn out and our legal team appears to be confident and ready for another round of legal battle with the Prosecution team. I tell you with all confidence that it shall all end up in praise.

For us in BIAFRA WRITERS, we deem it fit to refresh the memory of our audience of what transpired during the last court session, the recent happenings and where we have found ourselves today. After a long period of months since the long adjournment, so much has happened but let us quickly have a run down of what transpired during the last court proceedings.
.
Recall that in the last court session of 20th June, 2016, there was a rift in court regarding who represents the second defendant who stands trial alongside Nnamdi Kanu and David Nwawuisi.
The lead counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, Barrister Chuks Muoma, (SAN), threatened to pull out from his trial.

Read also:IPOB PRESS STATEMENT:NNAMDI KANU SACKS LAWYERS FOR SPEAKING AGAINST NIGER DELTA AVENGERS AND MISLEADING THE PUBLIC OVER NEGOTIATIONS WITH GOVERNMENT

Muoma declared before Justice John Tsoho of Court 3 Division of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on the reason of his threat to withdraw from the trial, that his appearance for Kanu would be conditional following the “extraction” of one of his clients, Benjamin Madubugwu, by another lawyer.

The second defendant Benjamin Madubugwu, announced to the court that he no longer want the services of Muoma nor being represented by the lawyer.  Muoma described the sudden change of counsel to Madubugwu without his consent as an affront to him, declaring that “until that is settled, his appearance in this case will be conditional.”

However, in his defense, Barrister Amobi Nzelu, the new counsel to Madubugwu, appealed to the senior lawyer(Muoma) for understanding, saying he had no intention to snatch away his client. He also added that it was the right of an individual to choose whoever represents him or her.

Read also:IPOB PRESS CONFERENCE:NNAMDI KANU’S DEFENCE TEAM DISPELS WRONG IMPRESSIONS OF KANU’S TRIAL AND DISSOCIATES IPOB FROM MEND

He stated that it was only on sunday, 19th June, 2016, that he was informed of his client’s decision to represent him and as such has limited time to inform the lead counsel of the development.

As we all have known, because of the underlying issues, the trial could not continue owing to a motion filed by Kanu’s lawyer asking the court for an adjournment to enable the new defence lawyer and the Prosecution to carefully study and respond to the application.

With no objection from the prosecution team led by S.N Labaran, the judge adjourned the case to September 26, 2016, for hearing of the motion and subsequent continuation of trial.  However, many things like I noted before, has changed since in the trial of the IPOB leader, since the press conference convened on 12th of August, 2016.

Read also:I OBSERVED WITH DISMAY THE GLARING THIRST OF BETRAYAL OVER BARRISTER AMOBI NZELU AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE~Biafra Writer's Eye Witness Report

We can still recall that following some of the unsolicited speeches/responses made at the news conference which are not connected with the intentions of Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB announced the sack of his legal representatives in ongoing treason trial, with the exception of Barrister Ejiofor.

Barrister Amobi Nzelu, the new counsel had at the press briefing disowned and dissociated IPOB from the Niger Delta Avengers who shares the same ideology of freedom for Biafra. A move IPOB said was made without due consultation and authorisation.

In a statement signed by Barr. Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya, spokespersons for IPOB, they announced that new legal team of lawyers will be constituted before the next court trial, adding that anybody publicly dissociating IPOB from Niger Delta Avengers is a mortal enemy of IPOB family worldwide under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu.

The statement read that “in the interim, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor will continue to act as the lead counsel until other counsels are appointed who will not sell out their souls to the devil.”

Read also:BIAFRA: Human Rights Group Takes Justice John Tsoho To The Cleaners, Labels Him Bias, Hostile And Threat To The Rule Of Law

However, we want to let the public know that Barrister Chuks Muoma, (SAN), has been reinstated by Nnamdi Kanu and will retain his position as the lead counsel representing him before the trial court while Barrister Amobi Nzelu remains evicted and ostracized from the legal team.
.
Meanwhile, the information reaching across to us from the camp of the Prosecution representing the Federal government of Nigeria in the trial, has it that the services of the Director for Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed Diri has been terminated as he has also been sacked by the Federal government; a sign that they know they cannot ordinarily prevail in this case as they apparently lacked the empirical evidence required to nail the hammer on its head.

As for Justice Tsoho, nothing much has changed on his side as he still retains the position of the presiding judge, though IPOB is seriously pushing for his disqualification and assignment of the case to a competent and unbiased judge.
Stay Tuned and Awake for our live and direct update from Abuja High Court as it unfolds.

.
Written Chukwuemeka Chimerue
Published By Nwosu C.S
For Biafra Writers.