Wednesday 23 December 2015

FG Files Fresh Treason Charges against Nnamdi Kanu


•His lawyer decries DSS’ refusal to obey court order

By Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The federal government has filed a fresh six-count charge against the Director of Radio Biafra and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, while refusing to comply with a ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja ordering his unconditional release last Thursday.
THISDAY confirmed the latest development yesterday from Kanu’s counsel, Mr. Vincent Obeta, who said that the federal government filed the fresh charges on Friday, December 18, a day after Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court granted him unconditional bail.
According to Obeta, the fresh charges border on treasonable felony, maintaining unlawful society and illegal possession of items, among others.

“Yes, he was charged with treason,” his lawyer said.
THISDAY also confirmed that the charges were filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, and signed by the Director of Public Prosecution in the ministry, Mr. Mohammed Diri.
The federal government is accusing Kanu and some persons now at large of precipitating a crisis that would have forced the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, to concede certain parts of Nigeria to a purported Biafra nation.

The Biafran activist was also alleged to have maintained unlawful society and retained items belonging to IPOB, among others.
The offences are punishable under Sections 41(c) and 63 of the Criminal Code Act and Section 47(2)(a) of the Customs and Excise Management Act.

Kanu was charged alongside two other persons — Messrs Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.
Part of the charges read: “That you, Nnamdi Kanu and other unknown persons, now at large, at London, United Kingdom, between 2014 and September, 2015, with intention to levy war against Nigeria in order to force the president to change his measures of being the President of the Federation, Head of State, and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation as defined in Section 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), by doing an act to wit: Broadcast on Radio Biafra your preparations for the states in the South-east geopolitical zone, South-south geopolitical zone, the Igala community of Kogi State and the Idoma/Igede community of Benue State to secede from the Federal Republic of Nigeria and form themselves into a Republic of Biafra, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 41(c) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

Owing to his continued detention, Kanu’s lawyer yesterday expressed concern over the refusal of the federal government to comply with the court decision to release him from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Obeta told THISDAY that the DSS simply defied the court ruling despite their best efforts to get Kanu out of its custody.
“We have tried everything we can but the federal government is yet to comply with the court’s decision. I think the question of why he is yet to regain his freedom should be channelled to the DSS.
“They should be answering that question on why they have not released him,” he said.
When ruling on Kanu’s bail application argued by Obeta, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, last week, set aside an order granted to the DSS last month to detain Kanu for 90 days to enable the security agency complete its investigation.

According to him, the continued detention of Kanu after three months without trial, violated Section 158 of the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) Act 2015 and Section 35 of the Constitution.
Kanu’s release by the Federal High Court came a day after a Magistrate’s Court in Abuja struck out all criminal charges filed against him.

No comments:

Post a Comment