A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday adjourned till Wednesday the planned re-arraignment of the leader of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu on amended terrorism charges.
When the case was mentioned for hearing, Kanu’s defence lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) requested time to enable him to study the charges, which are now 15 in number.
The Federal Government on Monday amended its charges on the IPOB leader, with eight new charges added to the list of previous charges bordering on terrorism.
Ozekhome declared that the prosecution ambushed the defence team with the fresh charges.
According to him, the proof of evidence served on the defence by the prosecution was not legible enough to enable them to know what constitutes the fresh charge.
“My Lord, the proposed amended charges were served on us yesterday (Monday) evening. As I speak to you, my lord, the defendant, who was just brought in, has not even seen the charges which he is being told to enter his plea.
“With due respect, that is not justice. It is ambushing. I know that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act allows the Federal Government to amend, but this is the sixth amendment they are making, and each time they do it, they serve us a day to the hearing, just to frustrate the trial,” Ozekhome declared.
But responding, the lead prosecuting lawyer, Magaji Labaran, faulted Ozekhome’s claim that the amended charge was an ambush.
He also disagreed with the defence team on it claim that Kanu was not being properly fed, allowed to practise his religion and allowed free access to his family members.
The prosecution did not oppose the request by the defence for an adjournment.
The judge, Justice Binta Nyako adjourned till January 19 for arraignment on the amended charge.
