Separatist leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu appeared briefly in court today but trial suffers setback.

Justice Binta Nyako said she was unable to continue with trial after members of Kanu’s legal team staged a walkout.

The case was subsequently adjourned to 19 and 20 January 2022.

The drama arose from alleged refusal of Department of State Security to grant all of Kanu’s lawyers access to the courtroom.

Kanu was miffed that his US lawyer is not allowed to see him and bitterly complained to Justice Binta Nyako.

He told Nyako that the lawyer, Bruce Fein, handles a US case for him and came to witness his trial.

“I have an ongoing case in the US. I have not been allowed to see him. He is here to see me and to observe the proceedings.

“He has been to the DSS to see me, but they denied him access to me,” Kanu reported to the judge.

This was what prompted his lawyers to stage a walkout in protest. They were in the courtroom earlier and even took photographs with Kanu.

Justice Nyako then asked Kanu if he was ready to handle the proceedings by himself since his lawyers vamoosed.

Kanu declined.

Federal prosecutor, M. D. Abubakar, however asked the court to proceed with the trial without Kanu’s lawyers.

He informed the judge that Kanu’s lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, was in the courtroom before the arrival of the judge.

Justice Nyako said she was disappointed with the conduct of the defense lawyers. But she declined to dismiss the pending application that the lawyers made to free Kanu. Instead, she adjourned the case for January 19 and 20, 2022 for hearing.

The Nnamdi Kanu trial suffers setback

Author

  • Ogbuagu Bob Anikwe, a veteran journalist and message development specialist, is now a community journalism advocate and publisher of Enugu Metro. Contact him on any of the channels below.

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