April 25, 2017
•Any Attempt To Flout This Order Will Bring An End To Kanu’s Trial— Barr. Ejiofor Vows
ABUJA— Justice Binta Murtala Nyako of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, today, granted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, bail on health grounds.
Justice Nyako who centered her ruling on the bail applications by the defendants and whether the court will vary its order on the shielding of prosecution witnesses, presented a very stringent condition which must be perfected before the IPOB leader will be granted bail.
According to the judge, the several conditions includes the presentation of three sureties, one of whom must be a serving Nigerian Senator, a known Jewish religious leader, a highly respected person resident in Abuja who must also own a landed property in the FCT and the handing over to the court his international passports.
Read also:BREAKING: EKITI STATE GOVERNOR FAYOSE STORMS ABUJA COURT IN SUPPORT OF NNAMDI KANU
Also, part of the conditions for Kanu’s release according to the judge was that each of the three sureties are to pay a fine of 100 million naira each and “no rally to be held, no granting of interviews to journalists and you must not be seen in any crowd exceeding more than ten persons.”
The court also banned the defense counsels from filing further applications in court as part of the conditions for his release.
Binta seriously warned that the bail given to the IPOB leader will be revoked if any of the conditions are flouted.
However, apart from Nnamdi Kanu, three other accused persons standing trial with him, were not granted bail.
Meanwhile, Justice Nyako refused the application filed by Kanu’s defense lawyer, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, to vary her previous order on the protection of witnesses coming to testify against his client in which she ruled that the witnesses either appears behind the screen or cover their faces with masks.
She maintained that the charges of treasonable felony levelled against the defendants is a serious offence and as such, the witnesses who have been identified as security operatives cannot be exposed in the course of the trial. Hence, there is no further compelling evidence or argument by the defense counsel is enough for her to vary her ruling on that.
She thereafter, adjourned further hearing on the case to 11th and 12th of July for continued trial.
Following justice Nyako's ruling, Kanu’s defense lawyer, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, warned that he will resist any attempt by the Federal government of Nigeria to disregard, denigrate or disobey the order of the court granting his client bail.
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Speaking to Biafra Writers’ Correspondents, shortly after the proceedings, Ejiofor vowed that he will mobilize people to protest on the streets should the government fail to obey this order as was in the case of two previous court pronouncements granting his client bail.
“I want to make this point clear to everybody and to the whole world that the court has given the conditions for his bail this morning, which we’re going to perfect.
“Therefore, we’re going to strongly resist any further attempt by the Federal government to flout this order made by the court this morning, even if it means mobilizing people to the streets, I’ll do that and any attempt to flout this order will bring a total end to this trial because we’ll not subject Nnamdi Kanu to further trial unless when the order is complied,” he warned.
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Ejiofor also expressed happiness in the court ruling for Kanu’s release, adding that they are ready to meet up with the stringent bail conditions.
He said: “Actually, we’re particularly happy that the court granted him(Nnamdi Kanu), bail today. He has regained his freedom and we’re firmly sure that we’re going to fulfill the conditions for bail.
“As you’re aware, Nnamdi Kanu is a leader of a nation, Biafra; so we have people that will come to assist us in perfecting his conditions for bail.”
Speaking about the adjournment of the lawsuit filed against the federal government at the ECOWAS Court, Ejiofor said: “Only this morning, I had a call from my Secretary, informing me that the ECOWAS court has postponed our matter to May 17th, 2017.
“And I hope that on that day, Nnamdi Kanu will be there at the ECOWAS court because having been granted bail, he will be out by then.”
Barrister Ejiofor also went ahead to admonish Kanu’s supporters to continue to conduct themselves within the confines of the law without indulging in any form of violence, adding that they should go about their normal businesses without expressing fear of any arrest or intimidation by the security agencies as they are existing in a lawful society.
By Chukwuemeka Chimerue
& Anyikwa Kelechi Cynthia
Published By Nwosu C.S
For Biafra Writers
This bail is both good and bad. The bail is good but the conditions are awful. As a matter of fact, some of the conditions like restricting his freedom of speech, association, etc., are unconstitutional. The Barrister for Mazi Kanu must appeal it. This Sharia judge and tyrant Buhari are playing smart. The conditions for this bail are simply awful, hateful, and hard to fulfill. Where are the Igbo leaders? Why do they allow this kind of evil and wickedness to be carried on their son, who’s clearly correct in calling for self-determination? Does it mean we must all be enslaved and Islamized in our own land? When will they stand up to stop this impunity and arrogance?
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