A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has given the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, till Monday, October 27, to open his defence in the terrorism charges preferred against him by the Federal Government.
The trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, fixed the new date on Friday following Kanu’s complaint that his former lawyers, led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, had not released his case file to him for study.
When the matter was called, counsel to the Federal Government, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, announced his appearance and told the judge that the business of the day was for Kanu to begin his defence as earlier ordered by the court.
However, no lawyer appeared for Kanu.
The IPOB leader, who entered the dock with a bundle of documents, announced his appearance for himself and thereafter informed the judge that his legal team, sacked on October 23, had not released the case file to him.
He said he was constrained to ask for an adjournment to enable him to obtain the case file and study it in order to prepare fully for his defence.
Besides, he said he intended to call 23 witnesses from within and outside the country and urged the court to issue an order to the Department of State Services (DSS) to permit the foreign witnesses to have access to him.
He also asked the judge to order the DSS to allow his lawyers to have access to him on non-working days, which was promptly granted by the court.
At this point, counsel to the Federal Government said Kanu’s complaint was strange because he had been in the courtroom for hours with his former lawyers.
Awomolo also reminded the judge of the six days granted to Kanu to open and close his defence in the matter and urged the court to strictly adhere to the order.
Justice Omotosho, in a brief response, said he was mindful of granting an adjournment because of Kanu’s claim of not having access to the case file.
The judge said the allegation that Kanu Agabi had not released the case file was strange and unbelievable but added that he would oblige the defendant an adjournment. He, however, warned against undue delay, especially the wastage of the court’s judicial time, adding that several other cases had suffered delays because of Kanu’s matter.
Justice Omotosho subsequently adjourned till Monday, October 27, for the IPOB leader to open his defence.
Justice Omotosho disclosed on Thursday that he had signed the witness summons requested by Kanu and that they were available for him to collect and serve on the said witnesses as required.
Kanu, in a notice to defend filed on October 21, listed the names of prominent Nigerians, including former and serving governors, ministers, military, and security chiefs, as his intended witnesses, whom he said should be compelled to attend court.
The IPOB leader also sacked all members of his legal team on Thursday and announced that he was willing and ready to conduct his case by himself.